All of our operations are controlled by the Boards, and are carried out wherever possible by our own workforce or contractors within North East Lindsey IDB. The principle maintenance operations that are carried out routinely include:
- Weed cutting – removing weed from the bed of the watercourse to ensure the free flow of water
- De-silting – removing accumulated silt from the bed of the watercourse to ensure the effective free flow of water
- Bushing and tree coppicing – carrying out works to prevent the encroachment of plants and trees onto the Board’s watercourses, allowing continued access. This is completed before the bird nesting season begins
- Control of water levels
- Mowing and control of bankside vegetation
- Re-profiling works
In addition to this, the Boards undertake other works including slip repairs, culvert installation and repairs, and pipeline inspections.
The aim of these operations is to allow effective drainage and free flow of water through each District, thus preventing flooding. Although predominantly our watercourses are engineering structures, they also provide important habitat for wildlife.
As such, we aim to conduct our maintenance works in an environmentally sensitive manner and we have developed a Nature Strategy to determine the best ways to achieve this. For more information contact our Environment & GIS Officer Nick.downing@witham3idb.gov.uk or please see the conservation section of our website.
We also respond to emergencies during periods of high rainfall, working closely with other operating authorities for example local councils, emergency services and the Environment Agency.
https://witham3idb.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Your-watercourse-rights-and-roles.pdf
