Annual Maintenance

The annual routine maintenance of 1492km of Viewed Rhynes runs from May to February each year across the Boards’ areas.

Please click here to access the SDBC’s online mapping to viewed rhyne information regarding location and timing. If you do not have access to the internet then please contact the office, where we will be happy to advise you accordingly.

Access

An unimpeded machine access is required to enable our contractors to undertake this important maintenance work efficiently and safely, please ensure the machine access strips are kept clear of crops/obstructions and inform us of locked gates, that might hinder or prevent the maintenance from being completed

MAIZE: Growing of Maize is on the increase and where crops are planted up to the edge of the watercourse machine access becomes difficult and unsafe, at these locations it may not be possible to undertake the routine maintenance at the scheduled time.

Where suitable access has NOT been provided the following options may be implemented:

Track through/flailing of crops to gain access to the viewed rhyne and undertake the maintenance as programmed.
Not undertake the maintenance and return at a later date to complete works: additional costs incurred and return trips may not always be possible due to contractor availability and/or budget constraints
Where sections of viewed rhynes are left unmaintained this may reduce conveyance and increase flood risk to properties and business within an area.
Where maintenance is obstructed, we may require the landowner(s) to undertake the maintenance work themselves.

Please be considerate and provide tracking routes to and from the viewed rhynes and leave a minimum 4m maintenance strip (crops only) that enables our contractors to undertake maintenance safely and efficiently on all viewed rhynes.

If you are planning on planting crops adjacent to viewed rhynes but are uncertain of our access requirements please contact the Board’s Office to arrange for your local Area Supervisor to contact you to discuss access requirements within your area.

RIPARIAN WATERCOURSES/CULVERTED WATERCOURSES: the IDBs have jurisdiction over all watercourses within each Board’s area, the annual maintenance of the viewed rhyne system is undertaken using permissive powers within the Land Drainage Act 1991. As a riparian owner you have a legal obligation to ensure your watercourse(s) are maintained to a sufficient standard so that the free flow of water is not impeded.

The Board(s) may, when required, instruct riparian owners to undertake works where necessary, this is normally done by agreement but may result in a formal notice being served if riparian owner(s) are unwilling to comply with requested works.