With a large part of East Lindsey district just above sea level, land drainage and flood defence is a vital service for the community in protecting social, economic and environmental development. Land drainage and flood defence utilise water level management to provide protection.

One way to gain an appreciation of water level management at a local level is to look at how it was done in the past.

With this in mind, in 2005 a local Saltfleetby farmer together with Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board, organised a working demonstration using land drainage tools and techniques that would have been used on a small Lincolnshire farm in the 1950s. Visitors were able to watch drainage ditches being cleaned, clay pipes laid and many other operations.

The demonstration was such a success that a similar event was held in 2007 and also included a display by the Lincolnshire Oil Engine Society.

Two nearby pumping stations (Saltfleet and Gayton Engine) were also open on the day.

Saltfleet Pumping Station was built in 1955 but was upgraded in the 1990s when an automatic weedscreen rake and telemetry system were installed. The pumps and motors were refurbished in 2004. Saltfleet Pumping Station drains 4,732 hectares of land and has a capacity to discharge 6,370 litres of water per second.

Gayton Engine Pumping Station was built in 1850 to pump water from Gayton Fen and Marsh into the River Great Eau. This station is no longer used by the Board but the diesel engines have been preserved and are maintained by the Gayton Engine Preservation Society.

We hope to hold similar events in the future.

Map of Location (Multimap.com)

For further information, telephone Russell or Carol on 01507 328095.