Parish Council: Water
Ickford lies close to the river Thame whose known flood extent almost touches the village. During times of heavy rainfall within our catchment area, the fields around the river readily flood across the fields.

The Environment Agency provides the following maps:

Flood plain: Ickford, Surrounding Area.

Flood Warnings: Ickford, Surrounding Area.

Water, the Law, and You
While not a definitive or comprehensive (!) guide, the following points should be noted:
  • Ditches running on or adjacent to your property are usually your responsibility to maintain
  • Surface water run-off is the responsibility of the receiving landowner to handle
Agencies
* Environment Agency The Environment Agency are responsible (in terms of flood defences) for major water courses in England which includes the Thames, Thame and their significant tributaries. The agency has specific flood defence duties:
  1. To exercise a general supervision over all matters related to Flood defence
  2. To carry out surveys of areas where it carries out its flood defence
In our case, this includes Peppershill Brook and Worminghall Brook that skirt Ickford on either side and well as manage the Lower Thame area (where Ickford is located) as part of the greater Thames river system.
  • Head Office: 01454 624 400
  • Thames Regional Office: 0118 953 5000
  • General Enquiry Line: 0845 933 3111
  • Floodline: 0845 988 1188. Thame quickdial code is 0112322.
  • Emergency Hotline: 0800 80 70 60
* Thames Water Thames Water are responsible for sewage management systems in the area. Contact them at their main call center 0845 9200 800, or send an e-mail to their Customer Feedback address.
* AVDC The district council have responsibility for maintenance of ordinary water courses and work with the Environment Agency on those defined as major ones. 01296 585336.
* Bucks CC The Highways dept at Winslow (01296 383400) are responsible for roads and hence pick up maintenance for water courses associated with roads, such as piped ditches under the road surface.

In particular, they have the responsibility to keep roads free from flooding and make provision for run-offs from highways.

* Parish Council The Parish Council is not a "drainage body" under legislation and so do not have specific land drainage powers. They do, however, have general powers to assist in their neighbourhood and can be a valuable link between the other authorities and the community.
2002/2003 High Water Analysis
Reference Material: 2002/2003
The following is material collected to analyse the high water experienced over New Year, 2002/2003.

PS. An example of sustainable drainage is the motorway services built at Wheatley where the devloper was not allowed to let water infiltrate the ground for fear of mobilising contaminants in the soil matrix. An impermeable geotextile barrier was installed, and rainwater run-off controlled instead through retention in a gravel layer beneath porous paving, and balancing in ponds.

  Home