Information about the size of flows at different gauged locations on the Lower Severn can be obtained from the Environment Agency Hi flows web site. In the United Kingdom, river flows are measured in cumecs or cubic metres per second. This allows comparisons about the size of the flood at different locations down the River Severn and its tributaries like the Rivers Teme and Avon.
- The Warwickshire River Avon at Evesham (flows into Severn at Tewkesbury) registered its highest flow of 465 cumecs (cubic metres per second) in an incomplete series dating from 1848.
- The River Severn’s flow is gauged at Haw Bridge on the lower Severn (catchment area - 9895 km2) but the relationship between river depth and discharge becomes unreliable when the river is overbank flooding over the Severn’s wide floodplain. The estimated maximum discharge for the 2007flood at Haw Bridge is 1399 cumecs (cubic metres per second). To provide some idea of scale, the flow at Haw Bridge during the December 2000 floods (14th December 2000) was 593 cumecs. Please follow this link if you are interested in further details about the Haw Bridge flow gauge.
- Runoff from River Avon contributed to high flood levels on the lower Severn (e.g. at Gloucester Locks). At Gloucester Locks, the levels were closely comparable with the extreme March 1947 peak.
- According the Centre for Hydrology’s Hydrological Summary in 2007, levels on the lower Severn were comparable with those in 1947. In addition to the formal flow records collected by the Environment Agency, the levels of the March 1947 and July 2007 floods are marked at various places at public houses, boat houses etc. At some locations, these marks indicate that the flood was higher in 2007 than 1947 (e.g. Boat House at Lower Lode, Tewkesbury). Some examples of flood marks are provided below.
New 2007 flood mark at New Street, Upton upon Severn (already removed);
New flood marks on the door of the Red Lion Public House at Wainlode Hill, Lower Severn (1947 mark renewed);
Informal 2007 flood mark – Swan Inn, Upton-on-Severn
Flood mark in the porch in Tewkesbury Abbey
- The flow at Bewdley (228 cumecs – cubic metres per second) on the middle Severn was not exceptional on 21st July 2007 in comparison to the situation on the lower River Severn. This link takes you to the Daily River Flow Hydrograph for the River Severn at Bewdley (graph seven working down the left hand side column. The July 2007 flow was not the highest flow in the year at Bewdley. The highest flow occurred on 13th January 2007 (414 cumecs; cubic metres per second).