The North Level District Internal Drainage Board is an area in the heart of the Fens that is mainly reliant on pumped drainage to evacuate surplus water from agricultural, industrial and urban properties, discharging to the adjacent main rivers.
When drainage of the Fens commenced in the 1700’s all that was available to move the water were numerous windmills strategically placed over the district. Over time the introduction of steam and then diesel power enabled the water to be moved more efficiently. Today’s fully automatic diesel and electrically powered pumps have enabled Engineers to have far more control over the drainage of the Fens.
These advances have also made it possible to retain water in the summer months for irrigation of crops and the enhancement of the drainage environment, being home to a variety of birds and wildlife.
Drainage is essential to life in the Fens, over recent years when other parts of the country have suffered severe flooding to homes and industry the Fens remained unscathed due to the prudent investment of our predecessors. We must not become complacent, we are at the mercy of the weather and must remain prepared for the next rainfall event.
You can read more about the history of North Level District IDB here