Land Drainage
Statutory Definitions
Critical Ordinary Watercourses
Is a watercourse that is not classified as "main river" but which the Agency and other operating authorities agree is critical because it has the potential to put at risk from flooding large numbers of people and properties. As of April 2005 all critical ordinary watercourses within the Borough changed designation becoming "main river" and are thus subject to Environment Agency management.
Drainage
Includes defence against water (including sea water), irrigation other than spray irrigation, warping and the carrying on for any purpose of any other practice which involves management of the level of the water in a watercourse (S.72(1) LDS 1991 and S.113(1)WRA 1991 as amended by S.100EA 1995). References in the LDA 1991 to the carrying out of drainage works include references to the improvement of drainage works (S.72(5) LDA 1991).
Drainage Body
Means the Agency, an internal drainage board or any other body having the power to make or maintain works for the drainage of land (S.72(1) LDA 1991).
Flood Defence
Means the drainage of land and the provision of flood warning systems (S.113(1) WRA 1991).
Flood Warning System
Means any systems whereby, for the purpose of providing warning of any danger of flooding, information with respect to specified matters is obtained and transmitted whether automatically or otherwise, with or without provision for carrying out calculations based on such information and for transmitting the results of those calculations. The specified information is with respect to: (a) rainfall, as measured at a particular place within a particular; and (b) other matters appearing to the Agency to be relevant to providing warning of any danger of flooding (S.148(5) WRA 1991).
Local Authority
Means the council of a county, county borough, district or London borough or the Common Council of the City of the City of London (S.72(1) LDA 1991 and S.221(1) WRA 1991).
Main River
Means a watercourse shown as such on a main river map and includes any structure or appliance for controlling or regulating the flow of water into, in or out of the channel which: (a) is a structure or appliance situated in the channel or in any part of the banks of the channel; and (b) is not a structure of appliance vested in or controlled by an internal drainage board (S.113(1) WRA 1991, and see S.137(4) WRA 1991).
Operating Authorities
The public sector organisations that are responsible for providing defence from flooding.
Ordinary Watercourse
Means a watercourse that does not form part of a main river (S.72(1) LDA 1991 and see the definition of 'main river' above).
Public Sewer
Means a sewer for the time being vested in a sewerage undertaker in its capacity as such, whether vested in that undertaker by virtue of a scheme under Schedule 2 to the WA 1989, S179 of or Schedule 2 to the WIA 1991 or otherwise (S221(1) WRA 1991, and S219(1) WIA 1991).
Sewer
Includes all sewers and drains which are used for the drainage of buildings and yards appurtenant to buildings, excluding a drain used for the drainage of one building or of buildings or yards appurtenant to buildings within the same cartilage (S219(1) WIA 1991, and S221(1) WRA 1991). References to a 'sewer' are to include references to a tunnel or conduit which serves similarly or to any accessories thereof (S219(2) WIA 1991, and S221(2) WRA 1991).
Watercourse
Includes all rivers and streams and all ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dykes, sluices, sewers (other than public sewers within the meaning of the WIA 1991) and passages through which water flows (S72(1) LDA 1991, and above on the meaning of 'public sewer', similarly see S113(1) WAR 1991 but contrast S221(1) WRA 1991).
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