The river Severn partnership: A systems approach to regional prosperity

This case was originally published on the River Severn Partnership’s website in 2025.

Project overview

The River Severn Partnership recognises that shared wellbeing and prosperity relies on a joined-up approach which considers the river network as a ‘system’. The primary goal is to acknowledge all the interrelated parts of the river network and to set out a holistic, long-term programme of management measures. This approach aims to deliver wide-ranging benefits across the economy, environment, and local communities.

The solution: a systems-based approach

A systems-based approach manages the entire river catchment holistically, rather than tackling issues in isolation. By viewing the river network as a single system, the partnership can integrate water management with other investments to:

• Unlock economic growth and create jobs across all sectors.
• Enhance natural capital, improve biodiversity, and promote health and wellbeing.
• Manage both flood and drought risk in an integrated way to support resilient communities.

Process and stakeholder engagement

The partnership’s success relies on effective stakeholder collaboration. The initiative brings together partners from local government, water authorities, environmental agencies, and industry. This cross-sector approach ensures that investments are coordinated and that solutions are designed to meet the diverse needs of the region, from urban centres to rural agricultural communities.

Funding and partnership

The River Severn Partnership is a collaborative effort involving a wide range of regional stakeholders. This model allows for the pooling of resources, expertise, and capabilities to deliver a coordinated, long-term programme of infrastructure-led investment that would be impossible for any single organisation to achieve alone.

Strategic alignment

For the region, the River Severn Partnership aligns with the strategic vision for sustainable growth and resilience. By integrating multiple objectives, the project supports a variety of key regional goals:

• Housing: Releasing land for development and providing the integrated infrastructure required to deliver sustainable housing.
• Economy: An infrastructure-led plan will enable a green recovery and reduce barriers to business growth.
• Environment: Enhancing natural capital will create accessible country parks and wetlands, promoting biodiversity.
• Flooding and drought: Reducing the estimated £230m of annual damages to infrastructure and protecting livelihoods.
• Agriculture: Creating accelerator hubs for skills and innovation to support the agri-tech industry and promote food security.

Relevant transformational adaptation principle(s)

Systems thinking: This is about looking at the bigger picture – how different sectors, places, and people are connected – and making sure actions in one area don’t cause problems in another. It means working across boundaries, creating benefits for people and nature, and being fair about who carries the costs.

The case study demonstrates how flooding, drought, infrastructure, economy, environment, and communities are all linked, and how a regional, catchment-wide approach is needed to manage risks and opportunities together. By working across local authorities, agencies, businesses, and communities, the partnership shows how collaboration across scales and sectors can deliver benefits well beyond flood management, including prosperity, biodiversity, and resilience.

Active engagement: Lasting change depends on genuine, ongoing collaboration with communities. This pillar focuses on working together over time, recognising that emotions and values shape how people see risk, and building a shared vision for the future of each place.

The case study also reflects this pillar by involving local authorities, businesses, and communities in shaping shared priorities, ensuring that diverse voices help to guide decisions and outcomes.

Suggested citation

River Severn Partnership. (2025). How the River Severn Partnership will achieve its aim. River Severn Partnership. Retrieved September 12, 2025, from https://www.riversevernpartnership.org.uk/about/how-the-river-severn-partnership-will-achieve-its-aim/