Flood Defence Law

The combination of unprecedented rainfall and environmental fears about long-term climatic change have placed the legal provisions and administrative responsibilities concerning floods and land drainage under new scrutiny. The purpose of this book is to examine these issues in a topical context and provide an account of the law which will be of value to those with relevant responsibilities and which is accessible to property owners for whom the operation of the law raises a series of vitally important practical issues.

The Objectives of Flood Defence and Land Drainage The History of Flood Defence and Land Drainage Private Rights and Duties Institutional Responsibilities (encompassing the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and Internal Drainage Boards) Coastal Protection Watercourses Sewerage and Land Drainage Highway Drainage The Planning System and Flood control Environmental and Conservation Impacts Flood Warnings and Avoidance Activities Information and Insurance Provisions The Future: Sustainable Drainage