View report page

51
Considering the whole of these circumstances it is probable that
the embanking of the Hackney Marshes by the London County
Council was instrumental, to some extent, in bringing about the
flooding of the houses on the west bank of the river referred to above,
but, I am of opinion that the other works referred to, and carried
out by the East London Water Company and the Lea Valley
Drainage Commissioners were also to a similar extent responsible.
It is obvious that the waters of a river, which during heavy
rains is accustomed to overflow its banks, and flood low lying lands,
will, if the banks are raised, rise considerably during such times
and probably overflow other parts, if the water cannot get away fast
enough by the natural channel of the river.
Endeavours are being made to reclaim from the river such of
the low lying lands as are capable of being utilised. This is
especially the case in our district. We may then confidently anticipate
that the flooding of the houses named above which hitherto
has been a rare event, will become more frequent; and the object
of recording this event is to consider what, if any, remedy can be
applied to prevent the recurrence of floods to the detriment of inhabited
houses in this district.
It is clear that the reclaiming of low lying land near the river, and
its utilisation cannot be stopped ; so the problem to be solved is
how to allow storm waters to pass rapidly enough away to prevent the
flooding of inhabited houses on the river banks.
The first suggestion is to raise that part of the river bank
adjacent to the dwellings ; or, if this is not practicable, to construct
some channel of relief to be used during the times of flood; but
the remedy is really an engineering work, and properly, should be
proposed by such an expert.
As to who should undertake this work, I would suggest that the
Lea Drainage Commissioners, who have already done similar work
in other parts of the Lea, and apparently with good results, should
be re-appointed, under a new Act of Parliament, if necessary, to
carry out the work of preventing floods from the Lea in this district.