Rivers and people
From earliest times rivers have been a focal point for human activity. Man settled close to rivers and became dependent on them for survival. Rivers formed a working part of both the rural and urban industrial landscapes.
To be an effective working resource water levels were controlled for the following purposes:
- Mills and Water Power
- Transportation of Goods
- Food Production e.g. corn
In addition to the many benefits of living adjacent to rivers there are certain disadvantages, in particular the risk of flooding. The effects of flooding can be devastating:
- Homes and farms severely damaged
- Roads closed
- Communities cut off
- Public services industry and commerce disrupted.
Communities suffer from fear, anxiety and hardship during periods of flooding.
Severe flooding in many catchments and food shortages, evident during the World War II, necessitated a comprehensive programme of arterial drainage to be undertaken. In many instances this involved the deepening, widening and straightening of the river channel and / or the construction of flood banks adjacent to the watercourse.
The value of past drainage works were:
- Flood alleviation to benefit people and property
- Improved agricultural production with associated economic benefit
In Northern Ireland many arterial drainage schemes were carried out for these reasons.