Two sections of a key Somerset flood defence will not be upgraded this year following a land dispute.

The Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) has been working with the Environment Agency (EA) to make numerous improvements to the River Sowy and King's Sedgemoor Drain, which divert water from the River Parrett and the River Cary out into the Bristol Channel.

Numerous improvements have been carried out over the last 12 months, removing silt from the river banks and bridges to increase capacity to ensure water can flow off the moors more quickly.

But the last two parts of the current programme, both located a few miles from Bridgwater, will not be carried out following a disagreement between the EA and the landowner.

The SRA said it was "not walking away" from this issue and was working to put alternative work in place to fix the problem.

The two elements in question concern improvements to the Chedzoy tilting weir and the Back Ditch outfall, which both lie between Bridgwater and the Polden Hills.

Both structures are maintained by the Parrett Internal Drainage Board (IDB) and are located on land owned by its vice-chairman, Tony Bradford.

Around £150,000 was earmarked for these improvements, which will reduce the amount of agricultural land affected by flooding in this section of the Somerset Levels and Moors, and thereby reduce the amount of lost income for local farmers.

The EA originally intended for work to begin in September 2023, but postponed this to mid-January – only to find it could not access the sites.

The EA and IDB came to blows over the issue when the SRA board convened in Bridgwater on Friday morning (January 19) to discuss the way forward.

Rachel Burden, the EA's Wessex area flood and coastal risk manager, said in her written summary: "The conditions are currently too wet to commence, so ordinarily works would be rescheduled to start as soon as conditions allow safe and suitable working, as guided by our contractor.

"The landowner has contacted the EA to state their concerns about the

conditions and will not permit access. They have appealed for the project to start in July."

Mr Bradford disputed that he had refused access, stating: "I had a phone call and notice of entry.

"When they wanted to come in and do the job, they couldn't see the structure – it was under flood water."

The funding allocated to these works has to be spent in its entirety by March 31 – with the EA claiming it does not have the means to carry out the improvements in the next financial year, as the IDB had wished.

Ms Burden said: "EA funding is specifically for these areas – it can't be moved around or carried over into next year.

"Any delay will incur additional construction and project management costs, which we are unable to cover.

"These costs increase with the length of delay."

As a result of the EA being unable to undertake these improvements, the £150,000 of funding will be returned to the SRA, to be reallocated in its next budget.

Ms Burden said that failing to undertake these improvements now would not immediately increase the risk of flooding, due to the other upgrades which had been carried out in the local area.

She said: "With all the extensive bank and channel works completed to date, this means that while some water may over-top into the floodplain, the channel will now accommodate more water than the pre-scheme situation before any such over-topping occurs."

Councillor Dixie Darch, Somerset Council's portfolio holder for the environment and climate change, said: "It's good to focus on what has been achieved, which is quite a lot.

"I'm reassured that the two elements which haven't been done yet aren't going to impact on properties – but agricultural land is a business, and we are about protecting businesses."

In light of the EA stepping back from these two sites, the SRA board voted to allow the Parrett IDB to come up with its own schemes for carrying out the improvements, using funding already allocated in the current budget.

Councillor Mike Stanton, who chairs the SRA board, criticised the EA's approach but said the SRA would continue to look at ways to improve these and other local flood defences.

Mr Stanton (who represents the Curry Rivel and Langport division on Somerset Council) said: "This does make me irritated and worried.

"The EA did not have access issues in September 2023 – you postponed it due to contractual issues, and then you could not do it because it was underwater.

"The SRA is not walking away from it – we are determined to get this done. It is the EA that is walking away."