An Internal Drainage Board (IDB) is a local public authority that manages water levels. They are an integral part of managing flood risk and land drainage within areas of special drainage need.

The Medway IDB’s, under the Land Drainage Act 1991, exercise general powers of supervision over all matters relating to water level management within their districts.

Key watercourses within their districts have been adopted by the Board for maintenance purposes although their powers are permissive. Remember the ultimate responsibility will always come back to the landowner.

IDB’s are generally not responsible for watercourses designated as main rivers. The supervision of these watercourses is undertaken by the Environment Agency on our behalf to which the IDB pay an agreed precept amount annually.

The Upper Medway Internal Drainage Boards one of the five other Internal Drainage Boards in Kent.

To also get an idea of what all the other Flood Risk authorities do and what your own responsibilities are please refer the Environment Agencies ‘Living on the Edge’ document.