Sowy River

The Sowy River is an artificial drainage channel in Somerset, England.

It is a 7.5-mile (12.1 km) embanked channel which starts at Monks Leaze clyce below Langport, and carries excess water from the River Parrett to the King’s Sedgemoor Drain, from where it flows to the estuary by gravity, rejoining the Parrett near Dunball wharf. Construction of the channel, together with improvements to the King’s Sedgemoor Drain and the rebuilding of the clyce at Dunball, to create a freshwater seal which prevents saltwater entering the drain from the river, cost £1.4 million, and was completed in 1972.[1] The scheme has resulted in less flooding on Aller Moor.[2]

During 2009 and 2010 work was undertaken to upgrade sluice gates, watercourses and culverts to enable seasonal flooding of Southlake Moor during the winter diverting water from the Sowy River onto the moor. It has the capacity to hold 1.2 million cubic metres as part of a scheme by the Parrett Internal Drainage Board to restore ten floodplains in Somerset. In spring the water is drained away to enable the land to be used as pasture during the summer.[3] The scheme is also used to encourage water birds.[4]