Upgrades at Somerset reservoirs to protect thousands from flooding
The Environment Agency says work at West Moor, Curry Moor, and Southlake Moor Reservoirs will help protect farms, villages, and key routes
Millions of pounds have been spent on major upgrades to flood defences across the Somerset Levels and Moors.
The Environment Agency says work at West Moor, Curry Moor, and Southlake Moor Reservoirs will help protect farms, villages, and key routes like the A361 from flooding.
The improvements - which are due to be completed by next year - are part of a £90 million investment and aim to boost the area’s resilience, with extra steps taken to protect wildlife and rare habitats at each site.
The comprehensive programme of works began in 2022, and promises to protect the risk of flooding for villages, farms, and major transport routes including the A361 Taunton-Glastonbury trunk road.
18% of Somerset lies below the average tide level, so the EA say these upgraded flood storage areas form part of an interconnected floodwater management system, meaning improvements to individual sites strengthen the resilience of the entire network.
It's been funded through the Government's £5.2 billion programme investment to protect 336,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by 2027.
The reservoir work
Located approximately 3.5km south of Langport, West Moor Reservoir has undergone substantial improvements, including the replacement of a connecting pipe between the two moors and construction of a new outlet spillway from South Moor and a new inlet and outlet spillway at West Moor. These improvements help protect Thorney village and surrounding areas during periods of high-water levels, when the area stores 8.5 million cubic metres of water from the wider catchment – the equivalent of the volume of 3,400 Olympic swimming pools. With favourable conditions, current planned completion of works is now programmed for October 2026.
At Curry Moor Reservoir, located 9km west of Langport, improvements have included the installation of a debris screen, bank repairs, and the completion of critical embankment and spillway works along a 200-metre section of the River Tone between Hook Bridge, and New Bridge. These works, scheduled to finish in 2026, will protect local farms, settlements, and the vital A361 transport link.
Southlake Moor Reservoir has seen significant strengthening of the right bank of the River Parrett and reinstatement of the left bank of the River Sowy. A new spillway for preferential overflow in and out of the moor has been constructed, with additional perimeter works planned for April 2026.
'Vital maintenance investments'
Ian Withers, Wessex Area Director, Environment Agency, said: "These vital maintenance investments represent a significant step forward in continuing to protect Somerset communities from flooding. The £90 million investment demonstrates our commitment to building resilience across the Somerset Levels and Moors, an area we know has a unique and persistent flood risk due to its geography.
“By strengthening these essential flood storage reservoirs, we're not only protecting homes and businesses today but ensuring these communities are better prepared for future flood events. The interconnected nature of our flood cell system in low-lying Somerset catchments means these maintenance investments benefit a much wider area."
Jason Flagg, Catchment Engineer for Wessex West reservoir projects, Environment Agency, said: "The technical complexity of these reservoir upgrades has been immense, but the engineering solutions we've implemented will make a real difference when communities are most at risk. From the new spillway systems at West Moor and South Moor to the comprehensive bank reinforcement at Southlake, every element has been designed to work as part of the wider flood management network.
“We've also ensured our work protects the local environment – our careful approach to preserving wildlife habitats, including the reed canary-grass stands that support rare species, as well as conservation of archaeological finds, shows that effective flood defence and environmental protection can go hand in hand. These reservoirs are now in a strengthened condition to serve communities for decades to come."
The Somerset Levels and Moors have a long history of flooding, with records dating back to the 1600s and significant recent events in 2014, 2012, 2000, 1997, 1960, and 1929.
The 2014 floods particularly affected the Parrett and Tone River catchments, highlighting the critical importance of robust flood defences for local communities.