History South Holland IDB

1 history

1.1 drainage
1.2 south holland drainage district
1.3 land drainage act 1930
1.4 modernisation

history

the corridor formed road spalding long sutton has been centre occupation since @ least roman times. there evidence of intensive occupation south of whaplode , holbeach, on land today between 7.1 , 10 feet (2.16 , 3.05 m) above ordnance datum, may have been relatively higher compared spring tide level in roman period. corridor protected banks believed have been constructed during roman occupation. north roman bank, , protected area sea. bank south raven bank, , divided area low-lying fen, regularly inundated water welland , nene. habitable area around 5 miles (8 km) wide between banks.

from end of fourth century, subsidence resulted in flooding of area, , while mossop , elms suggest occupation , use agriculture not re-established until eleventh century, evidenced domesday book, wheeler , batty argue large number of saxon endings on place names such weston, moulton, lutton , sutton, bech in holbeach suggest thriving saxon settlements. salt marshes gradually developed north of roman bank, stretching between 2 , 5 miles (3 , 8 km) beyond boundary, , these enclosed bit bit, resulting in 55 square miles (140 km) being reclaimed. between roman bank , raven bank, land divided headings, each parish built lateral walls ensure not flooded if neighbouring parish failed maintain section of main banks.

enclosures continued on many years. 1,121 acres (454 ha) reclaimed in 1632, in parish of tydd st mary, , 6,760 acres (2,740 ha) had formerly been part of sutton , lutton marshes, enclosed in 1660. in year, more extensive scheme carried out adventurers, covering 27.15 square miles (70.3 km) in parishes of gedney, whaplode, holbeach , moulton. smaller areas reclaimed in 1720, 1747, 1806 , 1865.

early drainage

responsibility maintenance of flood defences gradually established. in 1317, commissioners appointed inspect banks , sewers in marshes @ gedney, holbeach, sutton , flete, , carry out repairs necessary. in 1571, dykereeve s inquest held @ tydd, purpose of identify sewers , banks should maintained parishes. recommended landholders should carry out repairs sea banks every year, , imposed penalties failure so. shortly afterwards, george carleton, owned on 1,000 acres (400 ha) between whaplode river , holbeach river, , had been responsible erection of first documented drainage mill in england @ elm leam near wisbech, wanted improve drainage of land. plan cut drains south of ravens dyke in whaplode, holbeach , fleet, lead outfall sluice engine @ sutton sea bank. scheme opposed lincolnshire commission of sewers, disliked innovations , , dispute lasted many years.

as alternative, carleton built drainage engine holbeach river met sea bank, destroyed 4 days after completion in december 1587, when cut through main supporting beam. perpetrator tried, , during trial emerged carleton had been threatened because of scheme drainage mill saturday bridge on ravens dyke. became clear carleton had carried out work @ own expense , did not expect charge parish continued maintenance. in july 1578, lord burghley, acting privy council, attempted resolve deadlock on south holland drain. appointed surveyors john hexham , ralph agas conduct survey of area, , findings broadly supported carleton s proposals. 4 special commissioners, including carelton, appointed design course drain , assisted engineer humphrey bradley. there no evidence work carried out, , not until 1793 construction of drain began.

general responsibility drainage lay court of sewers, large parts of south holland excluded this, obtained acts of parliament authorise specific work. such provision had created deeping fen district, spalding , pinchbeck blue gowt district, , south holland drainage district. court remaining areas known hundred of elloe, , met @ spalding.

south holland drainage district

wiseman s sluice , pumping station on south holland main drain

the south holland drainage district established act of parliament obtained in 1793. @ time, main drain old shire drain, had been cut clowes cross tydd in 1629 adventurers of bedford level, group of venture capitalists. drain known south eau or old south holland drain, , outfall river nene @ tydd gote through sluice. prior obtaining act, landowners in south holland had engaged george maxwell , john hudson draw plans drainage scheme. maxwell land agent , engineer, while hudson surveyor. made initial inspection in november 1791, after employed others conduct full survey. returned in august 1792, , maxwell measured fall on proposed route 8 feet (2.4 m) in 14 miles (23 km). estimated cost of project £18,000, of cutting of drain accounted £8,450 , construction of sluice @ peters point on nene, £3,100. plans received, , formed basis act of parliament.

commissioners appointed act, responsibility ensuring drainage of district. 3 of them, including maxwell , surveyor edward hare, set raising £38,400, , work began under supervision of civil engineer thomas pear. project took 3 years complete, pear died in 1795, , work completed son, called thomas pear. area of drainage district set @ 30.31 square miles (78.5 km), subsequently increased 56.87 square miles (147.3 km). act included special provision lord s drain, owned adventurers of deeping fen, , fed water fen through tunnel passed under welland. commissioners paid adventurers £1,500, , took on responsibility it. in addition new main drain, running 14 miles (23 km) sutton bridge wheat meer drain, project included 2 other drains. highland drain 5 miles (8.0 km) long, , lowland drain 4 miles (6.4 km) long. 3 bridges carry roads constructed @ dereham drain, @ gedney drove, , between long sutton , tydd st mary. main sluice, completed in 1795, consisted of 3 arches providing outfall 26 feet (7.9 m) wide.

the scheme included provision drainage engines, 1 in sutton st mary or tydd, pump main drain nene, , other on lord s drain. land owners west of welland still route water under welland lord s drain on payment of suitable fees. in order finance scheme, commissioners charge acre tax, not exceed £2 per acre, spread on 3 years, , apportioned based on benefit landowner receive works. outfall of river nene inadequate, , new 1 constructed in 1832, towards south holland trustees contributed £7,000. consequence, allowed lower own outfall, did in 1852. new sluice 31 feet (9.4 m) wide, , cill level 6.33 feet (1.93 m) below ordnance datum, 5 feet (1.5 m) lower original sluice constructed in 1795. sluice controlled drainage of 53.13 square miles (137.6 km) of land, , when tide locked water levels in nene, levels in drain rose 3.7 feet (1.1 m) above ordnance datum.

at southern extremity of drainage district lies sutton st edmund. commons enclosed in 1797, , act of parliament obtained drain them in 1809. first recorded steam-powered pumping station in fens erected there in 1817, pump water south holland main drain. double-acting machine, of 10 or 12 hp (7.5 or 8.9 kw), removed in 1834/5, when north level main drain constructed , no longer needed.

land drainage act 1930

a royal commission held in 1927, lord bledisloe acting chairman, consider land drainage in united kingdom. concluded existing laws vague , ill-defined, full of anomalies, obscure, lacking in uniformity, , chaotic. recommended new structures needed, have both powers carry out work necessary efficient drainage, , sufficient financial resources enable them so. proposed having catchment boards responsible each main river, powers on individual drainage boards, , same had been proposed in 1877 select committee of house of lords. land drainage act 1930 enshrined these proposals. south holland, practical outworking creation of 5 internal drainage boards, holland elloe idb, south holland idb, south holland embankment drainage board, south welland idb, , sutton bridge idb. 1940s, formed pool, sharing resources , manpower when required, , 5 constituents amalgamated on 1 august 1974, become south holland idb. there have been minor changes geographical area covered , organisational structure subsequently.

modernisation

lawyers sluice, built in 1949, 2003 pumping station left

in order improve gravity discharge of water district, sluice river nene @ peters point rebuilt in 1937. width reduced 26 feet (7.92 m), cill lowered 10 feet (3.05 m) below ordnance datum. in order cope silty sub-soil in foundations had built, point dewatering equipment used first time in england. consists of inserting small tubes ground , pumping them high-efficiency vacuum pump lower ground water levels, creating dry , stable working environment. need grow more food during second world war led large areas of low-lying grassland being ploughed crops, , required improved drainage. main drain improvement scheme drawn in 1942, , widening , deeping of main drain , other channels carried out. ten new bridges required, accommodate wider channels, , old brick structures demolished , replaced open span bridges. feeder drains improved, , area served drainage board increased 63.28 square miles (163.9 km).

the first electric pumping station erected @ new outfall lawyers , andersons districts in 1949, followed several more. fleet haven pumping station cost £21,793 , completed in 1958/59, , in same year, dawsmere pumping station cost £33,868. lord s drain pumping station commenced operation in 1962. sluices upgraded, on holbeach river being commissioned in 1955, , lutton leam outfall sluice following in 1958/59. despite improvements, fleet fen area found @ risk during flood periods, , major upgrade, funded government, completed in 1971. included new pumping station main drain , fleet river meet, , used submersible pumps first time in land drainage scheme. extremely heavy rainfall on 11 july 1968, when on 4.9 inches (125 mm) fell on gedney in morning, demonstrated still more work required prevent flooding. run-off water spalding diverted coronation channel, flood-relief bypass river welland, , clay lake pumping station built in 1970, handles run-off, can used pump adjacent fen when not doing so. 5 additional pumping stations built throughout district. more half of area served idb depends on pumping stations, although stations still have gravity outfall, power failures or breakdowns not disastrous. further 6 pumping stations have been commissioned since 1974, latest being brought on-line in july 2003 @ lawyers sluice, assist when 1949-built structure tidelocked.