Powick Weir

I would like to bring to all the members that (if they dont already know) The Severn Rivers Trust and the EA are putting forward a plan to remove Powick Weir for the lower Teme, they are putting this plan forward to try and return the river to as it was, river of pools shallows and riffles, and create new spawning sites for the migratory Shad. In other words lowering the depth of the river by 1.5 mtrs from Powick to Knightwick. This will have a devastating effect on all coarse stretches on the lower Teme, Local clubs like St Johns, Worcester Angling Society and Bransford, to name but a few have registered their strong opposition to this plan. Already the EA have to rescue fish on the upper Teme on yearly basis because of low water caused by droughts, can you imagine what the Teme will be like around Knightwick because of such a large volume of water being lost? The other thing to consider is that if they do remove the weir it will release tonnes of silt, mud and gravel from above the weir into the lower Severn around Kempsey, you need to remember that the Teme and its tributaries during their history (over the last 300 years) was somewhat industrialized and linked to farm waste from Ludlow down stream to Worcester especially in the lower reaches, so within those pockets of of silt above the weir there will be amounts of dormant heavy metals, chemicals and phosphates that will wash into the Severn and downstream of Teme mouth. We have set up a Save Powick Weir face book page and we will be, with others oppose this whole thing where and whenever we can, in the new year the consultation period will start with the EA and The Severn Rivers Trust with concerned Angling Clubs and individuals attending, I suggest that those interested look at this and attend, where possible, these events to voice their concerns on the devastation that will be caused to the river as a whole and their stretches of the Teme and the Severn.Natural England are custodians for our SSSI's and they need to be convinced that this action would be disastrous for the river ecosystem.
Please take a look at the Save Powick Weir Facebook page.
Thank you.
Rich