Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board say Environment Agency’s maintenance programme is not 'acceptable’ after Bourne Eau breached banks

A river has breached its banks and flooding onto agricultural land – prompting a drainage board leader to hit out at the Environment Agency over its maintenance programme.

The Bourne Eau, a short river managed by the Environment Agency, has now ruptured its banks and is spilling out over agricultural land on the South Fen Road, near Tongue End, following the barrage of rain brought by Storm Henk yesterday.

A hole in the banks had been reported to the Environment Agency last summer and while it was monitored, there were no repairs.

And now the job of dealing with this spill will fall to the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board – which already has it hands full with the water in its drainage network and ensuring that Spalding does not flood.

Get the latest news to your inbox by signing up for The Briefing

Chief Executive Karen Daft has called on those in charge of the Environment Agency to have a closer look at its management programme.

She said: “I think those higher up at the Environment Agency have to take a serious look at how they are managing their assets as what is going on is really not acceptable.

“In all my years in drainage what we have seen since Storm Babet and the managing picture is really sad when the drainage boards are working so hard.

“We work in partnership with the Environment Agency but those further up need to look at what is going on.

“We have had high rainfall. The drainage board system is pumping out the water, the problem coming from the EA channels over topping or breaching onto the drainage board.

“If those channels were properly maintained, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Yesterday, the drainage board’s largest pumping station at Pode Hole lifted 40ml of water and it had staff on site overnight and this morning. Four to five staff members were ensuring the diesel and electric pumps were operating smoothly by ensuring that there were no weeds.

This pumping station has been operating for 24 hours a day since the start of the December and the aftermath of Storm Babet. The small team has only had Christmas Night and Boxing Day night off.

Mrs Daft said the situation was ‘relentless’ with the run-off from yesterday’s storms expecting to create further issues – but has praised her team.

She said: “The guys have been amazing between Christmas and the new year. They really are an excellent team.”

The Environment Agency came under fire in October from farmers and landowners after properties in the Horncastle area were flooded but it has also been criticised for how it has maintained the Cowbit and Crowland washes.

We have approached the agency for comment on the Bourne Eau breach.

What do you think? Post a comment below.