UPPER WITHAM INTERNAL
DRAINAGE BOARD
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POLICY STATEMENT - SEPTEMBER 2007 |
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INDEX1. Introduction 2. How the Board will Deliver the Government’s Policy Aim and Objectives 3. Flooding Risks in the Board’s Area 4. Environmental Measures 5. Review of Policy Statement |
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POLICY STATEMENT ON FLOOD PROTECTION AND
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| 1. |
INTRODUCTION
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Purpose
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| 1.1 |
This policy statement has been prepared by Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board to provide a public statement of the Board’s approach to its management of flood risk and water levels in its area.
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Background
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| 1.2 |
The Department of the Environment Food & Rural Affairs has POLICY responsibility for flood and coastal defence in England. However, DELIVERY is the responsibility of a number of flood and coastal defence “operating authorities” which includes the Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board. The Board maintained infrastructure is shown in para 3.2 below.
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| 1.3 |
The Government has published a POLICY AIM and THREE objectives for flood and coastal defence (i) and to ensure a more certain delivery of the aim and objectives by the individual operating authorities the Government has published a series of high level targets (ii). The first target requires each operating authority to publish a policy statement setting out its plans for delivering the Government’s policy aim and objectives in its area. This will include an assessment of the risk of flooding in its area, and what plans it has to reduce that risk.
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| 1.4 |
This policy statement fulfils this requirement. We are providing a copy to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions, the Environment Agency (Anglian Region) and the two County Councils and the five District Councils in which the Board's District is located. Copies are also available from the Board’s offices at J1 The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln. LN6 3QN. Tel:- (01522) 697123 or Fax:- (01522) 697064
Notes i) Strategy for Flood and Coastal Defence in England and Wales - September, 1993. ii) High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Defence Operating Authorities and elaboration of the Environment Agency's Flood Defence Supervisory Duty Nov.1999.
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| 2. |
HOW THE BOARD WILL DELIVER THE GOVERNMENT’S POLICY AIM AND OBJECTIVES
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| 2.1 |
The Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board supports the Government's aim and objectives for flood and coastal defence. The Board's policy is to be consistent with them.
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| Policy Aim | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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To reduce the risk to people and the developed and natural environment from flooding
by encouraging the provision of technically, environmentally and economically sound and
sustainable defence measures. Section 3 below sets out the Board's plans for reducing or managing the flood risk in the Board's District. |
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| Objective (a) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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To encourage the provision of adequate and cost effective flood warning systems. The Board will assist the Environment Agency (Anglian Region) wherever possible in its provision of adequate and cost effective flood warning systems, integrating with the Agency in response to flood emergencies and participating as necessary in exercises to develop and test emergency response procedures. |
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| Objective (b) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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To encourage the provision of adequate, economically, technically and environmentally sound and sustainable flood and coastal defences.
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To discourage inappropriate development in areas at risk from flooding. The potential impact on flood risk though future development in the Drainage District, or in the wider catchment draining to the District, is fully recognised by the Board and it will take an active role in the assessment of structure plans, local plans and individual planning applications to ensure flood risk is not increased. Where appropriate the Board will secure from Developers, and other direct beneficiaries, contributions to cover the cost of both immediate and longer term works necessary to ensure that any potential increase in flood risk is removed. |
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| 3. |
FLOODING RISKS IN THE BOARD’S AREA
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| 3.1 |
The District of the Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board encompasses all low lying areas which derive benefit
or avoid danger as a result of drainage operations in the catchment area of the River Witham and its
tributaries upstream of the High Street in Lincoln. It includes the valley of the River Till between Lincoln
and Gainsborough and the valleys of the River Witham and River Brant between Lincoln and Grantham. Most of the District is now intensely farmed but there are areas of urban development such as Lincoln, Saxilby, North Hykeham and Grantham. Over 20% of the Board's District relies on pumped drainage. The Board is managed by both directly elected representatives - who have a wealth of local knowledge and experience of the local land drainage within their electoral District - and Members appointed by the five District Councils in which the Board's District is located. As mentioned in Section 2, a significant part of the Board's District is at some risk of flooding. However that risk is substantially controlled although varying standards of protection apply. The following are the key details of the District:-
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| 3.2 |
Board Maintained Infrastructure
Passing through, within or adjacent to the District are the following assets maintained by the Environment Agency
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| 3.3 |
Regulation of Activities The Board will, as required, exercise its powers under the Land Drainage Act 1991 and its Byelaws to ensure that activities in and alongside the drainage system do not reduce flood protection standards and unnecessarily increase flood risk.
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| 3.4 |
Standard of Protection Through the operation and maintenance of the pumping stations and the drainage system the Board seek to maintain a general standard capable of providing flood protection to agricultural land and developed areas of 1 in 10 and 1 in 50 years respectively. This likely return period can not be taken literally and should be considered as a chance of some overspilling from the system taking place each year as being 10% and 2% respectively. Areas which are more vulnerable due to the particular local circumstances include:-
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| 3.5 |
Management of Flood Risks The Board monitor the condition of its pumping stations and watercourses, particularly those designated as critical and strategic, overspilling from which could affect several properties. Consistent with the established need a routine maintenance programme is in place to ensure that the condition of the assets is commensurate with the standards of protection which are sought. Where standards are not at the policy level, improvement works will be considered and undertaken as resources allow. The Board welcome from its agricultural ratepayers, special levy councils and members of the public any comments on the condition of its drainage system which could lead to any increased flood risk.
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| 3.6 |
Publicity The Board will seek to promote the need for works in its District and create a rational understanding among people who live and work in it as to what the flood risk is and the efforts made to control it. They will also seek to achieve directly and through local councils a culture within which the drainage systems are seen as vital to controlling flood risk, whilst providing an interesting aquatic habitat and to dissuade abuse of them through the dumping of waste or the obstructing of flows in other ways. The Board will place on deposit at its Offices its proposed annual programme of capital and maintenance works as follows:
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| 4. |
ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES
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| 4.1 |
The Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board has nature conservation duties under the Land Drainage Act 1991, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and as a competent authority under the Conservation (Natural Habitats C) Regulation 1994. The Board will fulfil these in a positive way. Much of the Boards maintenance work on watercourses, vegetation control and de-silting is a vital and routine requirement. Whilst inevitably some short term impact will arise, this management also maintains the diverse aquatic habitat in the District. The Board maintain a significant proportion of the total watercourse length in the District, the remainder being the responsibility of the Environment Agency and riparian land owners. When carrying out works, be it maintenance or improvement, and consistent with the need to maintain satisfactory flood protection standards, we will aim to
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| 5. |
REVIEW OF POLICY STATEMENT
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| 5.1 |
Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board will review this Policy Statement within a period not extending beyond 4 years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
