Land drainage

Maintaining watercourses so agriculture can thrive

There’s a well-observed saying in agriculture: ‘You can’t farm with wet feet.’

Defra has estimated that, during this decade, 35,000 hectares of high-quality horticultural and arable land will be flooded at least once every three years. Without effective drainage, heavy downpours can quickly ruin crops, threatening productivity from arable land. The same is true at the other weather extreme – when scarce seasonal rainfall threatens serious drought.

What we do

LSIDB manages 500 kilometres of water courses all year round, ensuring that private and publicly-owned land, mostly arable plus some grazing, is efficiently drained or supplied with water to remain productive and usable.

We maintain and clear drainage ditches using specialist plant; plan, install and maintain buried drainage pipes for farmland fields that discharge into the water course network; and we operate and maintain six pumping stations to maintain optimal water levels according to conditions.

Who pays?

Our land drainage work is funded by charges on development, drainage rates paid by landowners, and a special levy upon the eight local authorities within which the Board operates.

Sources:

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