268:
responsibility for the conservation of water resources, but an obvious shortcoming of this was that water supply companies could develop new sources without any reference to the river boards. Another area of responsibility was the enforcement of pollution laws. Until the passing of the Act, this had been the remit of local sanitary authorities, who usually also owned the sewers that were the main sources of pollution. There was therefore little incentive to invest in better sewage treatment works. Such investment was encouraged by the passing of the Rivers (Prevention of
Pollution) Acts of 1951 and 1961, during the currency of the 1948 Act, but a Working Party on Sewage Disposal suggested in 1970 that there were some 3,000 sewage treatment plants that were discharging inadequately-treated effluent into the rivers.
34:
302:. Some fishery boards amalgamated, and some ceased to operate due to lack of funding, but by 1948 there were still 45 operational boards. An issue with much of the legislation up to that point was that it identified concerns, but provided little in the way of practical arrangements that would allow them to be implemented. With the passing of the 1948 Act, fishery boards ceased to exist, and their functions were taken over by the river boards, in the first steps towards multifunctional management of catchments.
231:, which continued to operate under their existing powers. The artificial distinction between internal and external drainage boards ceased, as all of them were now operating within a river board area. In addition to their land drainage responsibilities, the remit of the new boards included fisheries, the prevention of pollution, and gauging of rivers.
193:
produced a report, discussing the development of a post-war water resources survey, and the
Ministry of Health's Central Advisory Committee proposed a network of river boards, who would be responsible for systematic river gauging, as well as land drainage, fisheries and pollution. Again, the lack of
263:
in one river board area when it was first proposed. Herefordshire County
Council, Hereford City Council, the Wye Catchment Board and the Conservators of the Wye had all lodged objections with the House of Lords, on the basis that there was no obvious administrative centre for such an area, and that
188:
During the 1930s, there was a growing realisation that data on river flows and water quality was lacking, and in 1935 an Inland Water Survey
Committee was created. They attempted to collect what data there was, and three annual reports were produced before the onset of the Second World War, but it
267:
The concern with collecting data outlined in the 1944 white paper were addressed in the Act, requiring the river boards to plan and implement systematic flow gauging of the rivers within their areas. They were also required to collect data about water abstraction, as part of their general
206:, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government were given the responsibility for the conservation and appropriate use of water resources. Those wishing to construct wells were obliged to provide details of their drilling and testing operations to the
164:
acting as its chairman, which produced a final report towards the end of the year on 5 December. The report organised the rivers of
England and Wales into 100 catchments, and suggested that a board should be appointed to oversee the work of smaller
234:
Although the Act proposed river board areas, the precise details were not included in the legislation, and a consultative committee was convened to resolve issues with the boundaries for the areas. This involved liaising with catchment boards,
51:
An Act to provide for establishing river boards and for conferring on or transferring to such boards functions relating to land drainage, fisheries and river pollution and certain other functions; and for purposes connected with the matters
243:, had been deposited before Parliament. Robin Turton, MP for Thirsk and Malton, asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the consultation period could be extended in some cases, as there were 60 drainage authorities operating in the
250:
Progress was not always smooth, as when the Wye and Usk River Board Area Order was submitted to
Parliament in 1951, the House of Lords chose to annul the order. There had been considerable opposition to the joining together of the
189:
was clear that gauging of rivers was in need of improvement, and its coverage was sporadic. Attempts to understand groundwater levels from data obtained from wells also showed the shortcomings of such an approach. In 1942, the
218:
When the River Boards Act was passed, it reduced 47 catchment areas to a smaller number of larger river board areas, covering most of
England and Wales. The exceptions were the London area, which was managed by the
207:
152:
In the 1920s there was a realisation that the current legislation concerning land drainage was somewhat chaotic, being largely based on the
Statute of Sewers passed by
745:
1370:
930:
239:, county councils and county boroughs. By 19 May 1949, the borders of 17 areas had been settled, and a draft order to create the first river board, that for the
1115:
1375:
276:
1146:
902:
916:
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River boards were also given responsibility for fisheries. The importance of maintaining rivers for fish was first recognised with the passing of the
1237:
1186:
1136:
299:
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to address issues of pollution and water abstraction. The 1861 act and 18 amendment acts that had been passed subsequently were consolidated in the
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57:
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1344:
1201:
705:
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38:
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198:, which stated that the collection of flow and water quality data, as well as the understanding of underground water resources
287:
1329:
1314:
190:
1063:
132:
passed by the United
Kingdom Government which provided constitutional, financial and general administrative structures for
738:
1176:
1101:
224:
1108:
1041:
1349:
279:, close seasons, the effects of pollution, and the establishment of a central authority, which at the time was the
194:
comprehensive flow and water quality data was mentioned. In 1944, the government published a white paper, entitled
1227:
1171:
519:
507:
1298:
1247:
1166:
686:
673:
220:
105:
294:. c. 15), various provisions of the royal commission of 1900 were implemented, including the establishment of
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182:
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244:
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46:
431:
338:
295:
236:
173:, but when it was passed, it only contained 47 of the catchment areas. Drainage authorities became
1217:
416:
1064:"Records of the Kent Rivers Catchment Board, the Kent River Board and the Kent River Authority"
765:
714:
685:
The Rivers Board Act was wholly repealed from 1 April 1965, as a result of the passing of the
129:
125:
62:
404:
East
Norfolk Rivers (including the river Waveney), East Suffolk Rivers, North Norfolk Rivers
1293:
449:
387:
157:
1283:
1252:
690:
210:, while anyone abstracting water had to keep proper records of the volume of water taken.
178:
137:
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1191:
1181:
1151:
758:
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537:
412:
275:, which dealt with issues such as obstructions in the river, the use of fixed engines,
203:
1364:
639:
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136:, which were responsible for the management of river board areas, and superseded the
264:
the management of the River Wye under the existing provisions had been exceptional.
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541:
427:
348:
240:
85:
1257:
615:
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Such data was to be made available to all who needed it. Under the terms of the
133:
653:
649:
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527:
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365:
256:
200:
should be resumed and pressed on with vigour as soon as circumstances permit.
663:
555:
260:
252:
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River Board area, and getting a consensus was proving to be time-consuming.
291:
1093:
689:, and the powers of the river boards were transferred to twenty-seven
100:
1242:
1097:
1020:"Archive of the National Rivers Authority, Southern Regions"
169:
within each catchment. The resulting legislation was the
156:
in 1531, with some subsequent amendments. Accordingly, a
861:
859:
1307:
1266:
1210:
1129:
111:
99:
94:
84:
79:
69:
56:
45:
757:
208:Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
1042:"Mid Glamorgan Rivers Catchment Board, Records"
415:, Old Haven (Pevensey) and Bulverhythe Stream,
739:"Inland Water Surveying in the United Kingdom"
1109:
314:were established under the terms of the Act.
8:
21:
1147:Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Act 1944
1116:
1102:
1094:
826:
814:
802:
20:
931:"Wye and Usk River Board Area Order 1951"
185:if there was no overall catchment board.
1238:Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
1187:Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975
1137:Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1923
316:
300:Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1923
288:Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1907
177:if they operated in an area which had a
795:
1371:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1948
1084:
1014:
1012:
955:
943:
889:
877:
838:
1003:
991:
979:
967:
760:Water Management in England and Wales
707:Salmon Fisheries in England and Wales
7:
865:
850:
728:Dobson, Alban; Hull, Hubert (1931).
160:was convened on 26 March 1927, with
1376:Land drainage in the United Kingdom
1202:Flood and Water Management Act 2010
751:from the original on 6 August 2020.
14:
39:Parliament of the United Kingdom
32:
903:"River Boards (Proposed Areas)"
229:Lee Conservancy Catchment Board
140:that had been set up under the
783:. London: Sweet & Maxwell.
764:. Cambridge University Press.
223:, and the jurisdiction of the
191:Institution of Civil Engineers
1:
917:"River Boards (Draft Orders)"
713:. The Atlantic Salmon Trust.
1177:Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968
933:. Hansard. 22 November 1951.
704:Ayton, Warwick (June 1998).
580:Northumberland and Tyneside
225:River Thames Catchment Board
1381:Water in the United Kingdom
919:. Hansard. 3 November 1949.
1397:
756:Porter, Elizabeth (1978).
744:. Institute of Hydrology.
737:Lees, M L (October 1985).
732:. Oxford University Press.
730:The Land Drainage Act 1930
18:United Kingdom legislation
1228:National Rivers Authority
1172:Water (Scotland) Act 1967
432:Stour (Essex and Suffolk)
401:East Suffolk and Norfolk
196:"A National Water Policy"
31:
26:
1248:Regional water authority
1167:Water Resources Act 1963
687:Water Resources Act 1963
486:Hull and East Yorkshire
323:Former catchment boards
286:With the passing of the
221:Port of London Authority
183:external drainage boards
175:internal drainage boards
106:Water Resources Act 1963
71:Territorial extent
1340:Newcastle and Gateshead
1233:Natural Resources Wales
1223:Internal drainage board
1197:Water Industry Act 1991
905:. Hansard. 19 May 1949.
273:Salmon Fishery Act 1861
1274:John Frederick Bateman
1162:Land Drainage Act 1961
1142:Land Drainage Act 1930
1022:. The National Archive
827:Dobson & Hull 1931
815:Dobson & Hull 1931
803:Dobson & Hull 1931
255:and its tributary the
171:Land Drainage Act 1930
142:Land Drainage Act 1930
1157:River Boards Act 1948
122:River Boards Act 1948
22:River Boards Act 1948
779:Wisdom, A S (1966).
540:and Winterton Beck,
167:drainage authorities
1124:UK Water Management
1066:. National Archives
23:
1218:Environment Agency
126:11 & 12 Geo. 6
63:11 & 12 Geo. 6
1358:
1357:
946:, pp. 24–25.
853:, pp. 38–39.
805:, pp. ix–xi.
771:978-0-521-21865-8
720:978-1-870875-52-3
693:on the same day.
691:river authorities
683:
682:
605:South West Wales
459:Anglesey Rivers,
130:Act of Parliament
118:
117:
95:Other legislation
75:England and Wales
27:Act of Parliament
1388:
1294:Robert Rawlinson
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678:Ouse (Yorkshire)
600:Somerset Rivers
510:and Jury's Gut,
328:Avon and Dorset
317:
158:royal commission
138:catchment boards
128:. c. 32) was an
113:Status: Repealed
72:
36:
35:
24:
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1391:
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1284:Thomas Hawksley
1262:
1253:River authority
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986:
982:, pp. 8–9.
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670:Yorkshire Ouse
310:Eventually, 32
308:
277:illegal fishing
216:
179:catchment board
154:King Henry VIII
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41:
33:
19:
12:
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1279:Edwin Chadwick
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1194:
1192:Water Act 1989
1189:
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1182:Water Act 1973
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1152:Water Act 1945
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1044:. Archives Hub
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1008:
996:
984:
972:
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855:
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831:
829:, p. 113.
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496:Isle of Wight
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457:
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441:Mid-Glamorgan
439:
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426:Essex Rivers,
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380:Dee and Clwyd
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339:Avon (Bristol)
336:
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307:
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296:fishery boards
245:Yorkshire Ouse
237:fishery boards
215:
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204:Water Act 1945
162:Lord Bledisloe
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1299:James Simpson
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1211:Organisations
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1005:
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997:
993:
988:
985:
981:
976:
973:
969:
964:
961:
958:, p. 27.
957:
952:
949:
945:
940:
937:
932:
926:
923:
918:
912:
909:
904:
898:
895:
892:, p. 19.
891:
886:
883:
879:
874:
871:
868:, p. 39.
867:
862:
860:
856:
852:
847:
844:
840:
835:
832:
828:
823:
820:
817:, p. xi.
816:
811:
808:
804:
799:
796:
789:
782:
781:Land Drainage
777:
773:
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731:
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534:Lincolnshire
533:
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525:
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517:
514:
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509:
506:Kent Rivers,
505:
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417:Ouse (Sussex)
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335:Bristol Avon
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50:
48:
44:
40:
30:
25:
16:
1289:James Leslie
1156:
1087:, p. 4.
1080:
1068:. Retrieved
1058:
1046:. Retrieved
1036:
1024:. Retrieved
1006:, p. 9.
999:
994:, p. 3.
987:
975:
970:, p. 8.
963:
951:
939:
925:
911:
897:
885:
880:, p. 2.
873:
846:
841:, p. 1.
834:
822:
810:
798:
780:
759:
729:
706:
697:Bibliography
684:
646:West Sussex
450:Ouse (Great)
409:East Sussex
320:River board
312:river boards
309:
285:
270:
266:
249:
241:River Severn
233:
217:
199:
195:
187:
151:
134:river boards
121:
119:
86:Royal assent
15:
1258:River board
1130:Legislation
1085:Wisdom 1966
956:Porter 1978
944:Porter 1978
890:Porter 1978
878:Wisdom 1966
839:Wisdom 1966
515:Lancashire
446:Great Ouse
362:Cumberland
281:Home Office
214:Legislation
101:Repealed by
90:28 May 1948
1365:Categories
1345:Nottingham
1026:29 January
1004:Ayton 1998
992:Ayton 1998
980:Ayton 1998
968:Ayton 1998
790:References
518:Crossens,
481:and Stour
475:Hampshire
438:Glamorgan
257:Ebbw River
148:Background
52:aforesaid.
47:Long title
1335:Liverpool
1320:Edinburgh
866:Lees 1985
851:Lees 1985
597:Somerset
355:Cornwall
345:Cheshire
261:River Wye
259:with the
253:River Usk
1070:6 August
1048:6 August
746:Archived
636:Welland
538:Ancholme
456:Gwynedd
413:Cuckmere
292:7 Edw. 7
227:and the
58:Citation
1350:Worksop
1330:Lincoln
1325:Glasgow
1315:Cardiff
1308:Schemes
674:Derwent
640:Welland
587:Severn
552:Mersey
520:Douglas
465:Dysynni
374:Wampool
65:. c. 32
1267:People
768:
717:
612:Trent
591:Severn
564:Irwell
560:Mersey
542:Witham
508:Rother
469:Prysor
461:Conway
428:Roding
423:Essex
394:Devon
349:Weaver
306:Boards
181:, and
1243:Ofwat
749:(PDF)
742:(PDF)
711:(PDF)
616:Trent
570:Nene
503:Kent
384:Clwyd
370:Waver
80:Dates
1072:2020
1050:2020
1028:2013
766:ISBN
715:ISBN
660:Wye
654:Arun
650:Adur
622:Usk
574:Nene
562:and
544:and
528:Wyre
524:Lune
490:Hull
479:Avon
372:and
366:Kent
120:The
664:Wye
556:Alt
388:Dee
1367::
1011:^
858:^
676:,
652:,
558:,
526:,
522:,
467:,
463:,
430:,
386:,
368:,
283:.
144:.
1117:e
1110:t
1103:v
1074:.
1052:.
1030:.
774:.
723:.
290:(
124:(
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