Numerous springs and small watercourses arise on the Cotswold scarp within the Parish and drain down towards the Vale and the Badsey Brook (ultimately discharging to the River Avon). Some of these only carry water after heavy rain, others flow for twelve months of the year. The ecological quality of many of these seems to be poor but the reasons for the apparent lack of biological diversity is uncertain.  The countryside around them seems healthy enough.

 The Badsey Brook itself supports a range of wildlife, including birds such as kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) (a schedule 1 bird species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981), and seems to be of good ecological quality.  The small stream which runs beside the Snowshill Road, from Coneygree Lane down towards the village, supports what is possibly the only site in the Parish for Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium). The presence of this species indicates reasonable water quality but the ditch is frequently disturbed and the species could easily be lost.

 Many of the other watercourses seem to support little of interest, the commonest species noted being hard rush (Juncus inflexus). One can speculate that some broad ‘pollution event’ in the past led to the loss of species from these watercourses but the writer has no evidence of this and it is just as possible that grazing has resulted in impoverishment of the flora. Perhaps herbicides were used on the scarp at some time in previous decades or agricultural improvement led to the impoverishment of these watercourses. The tendancy of many of them to dry up in summer could prevent re-establishment of aquatic flora from sources downstream if that vegetation were lost in situ.

 The introduction of a few native wetland species to one of these winterbournes on Bibsworth Lane indicates that they are quite capable of supporting aquatic flora now and, in some cases, deliberate re-introduction of aquatic plants in ungrazed areas may be desirable. It would be important however to ensure that the causes of the loss of diversity, whatever these may have been, are no longer operating. Without water testing or grazing exclusion, this may be difficult to determine but, if eutrophication has been the cause, the establishment of small reed-beds at certain points would  be valuable in ‘mopping-up’ excess nutrients  and allowing water quality to improve downstream. The fact that many of these streams arise in grazing pasture could be a hurdle to developing reed-beds but such obstacles can be overcome with support from landowners. In the first instance the reason for the paucity of aquatic flora in these streams should be determined.

Beneath Broadway High street runs the course of at least one (possibly two) stream(s) in what are reputed to be native stone channels (sometimes referred to as ‘the gout’). It would add considerably to village character if this could be opened up and encouraged to develop an aquatic flora. The first step would be to ascertain whether the stream (or streams) flows all year round and is therefore suitable for such a project.