Land Drainage Act 1976 Part I Introductory Water authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Internal drainage boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Main rivers and their control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Transfers of functions and reorganisation of internal drainage districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Review of boundaries, supervision and exercise of functions in default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Part II Powers of Drainage Authorities Carrying out drainage works, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Drainage works concerning more than one drainage authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Arrangements with other persons and powers as respects the obligations and rights of other persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Control of obstructions in and structures in, over or under watercourses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Schemes for drainage of small areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Flood warning systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Incidental powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Part III Restoration and Improvement of Ditches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Part IV Raising of Revenue by Drainage Authorities Power of water authorities to require payment of their land drainage expenses by local authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Power of water authorities to raise drainage charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Supplementary provisions as to drainage charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Alternative basis for financing drainage expenses of water authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Power of internal drainage boards to raise drainage rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Supplementary provisions as to drainage rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 80 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Miscellaneous revenue-raising powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Interpretation of Part IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Part V Powers of the Minister and Local Authorities Powers of the Minister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Powers of local authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Part VI Miscellaneous and General Provisions relating to London. 105 Schedule 5 to this Act, which contains provisions relating to London, shall have effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Interpretation. 116 1 In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ drainage ” includes defence against water (including sea water), irrigation, other than spray irrigation, and warping; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ land ” includes water and any interests in land or water and any easement or right in, to, or over land or water; “ land drainage ” means the drainage of land and the provision of flood warning systems, and “ land drainage functions ” shall be construed accordingly; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [ “ London excluded area ” means so much of Greater London and of any area adjoining Greater London as did not on 31st March 1986 lie, for the purpose of the exercise of land drainage functions, within the area of any water authority;] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transitional provisions, consequential amendments, repeals and saving. 117 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The enactments mentioned in Schedule 7 to this Act shall in consequence of this Act, be amended as there provided. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Short title, commencement and extent. 118 1 This Act may be cited as the Land Drainage Act 1976. 2 This Act shall come into force immediately after the coming into force of the Land Drainage (Amendment) Act 1976. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , this Act extends to England and Wales only.