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    Double Rainbow over the Norfolk Broads
    Panoramic view of Upton Marsh and the River Bure at Sunrise

    Broads IDB

    Our Area

    The Board’s Area, it’s Catchments & Watercourses 

    The Board’s Area includes some of the most important environmental areas and protected habitat in the world, as well as some of the finest grazing land in the country. The area is home to over 50,000 people, a thriving local economy and a hugely popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from around the globe.

    Although the entire area is at risk of river flooding and inundation from the sea, this is substantially reduced by the work that we do in partnership with the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Natural England and Local Risk Management Authorities. 

    The Board’s Drainage District does not extend to its full Watershed catchment area, which means that we find it more difficult to control development and flows coming into the District than we would do if we had some influence in the upper reaches of our catchment. The Board’s boundary is based on the principles of the Medway Letter established in 1933, which in our view needs to be changed so that we have the opportunity to provide an even better service.
     

    Watershed Catchment Area draining to and including the District (hectares)45,602
    Area of the Drainage District (hectares) Dynamic Map19,052
    Area of Agricultural Land, including designated wildlife sites (hectares)16,139
    Area of Residential/Industrial and other Property (hectares)2,913
    Designated Wildlife Sites (hectares)4,585

    Board’s Infrastructure

    Number of Pumping Stations36
    Number of First and Second Line Sluices0
    Number of Other Water Level Control Structures62
    Length of Watercourse (kilometres) *340
    High Priority Watercourses, as defined by the Board (kilometres) *98
    Raised Embankments (kilometres)6

    Environment Agency Infrastructure

    Main River (tidal and fluvial) (kilometres)137
    River Raised Embankments (kilometres)137
    Sea and Tidal Defences (kilometres)18

    Policy

    Visit our Policy Page to read guidance on the Adoption and Abandonment of Watercourses and explore our Asset Prioritisation Criteria.