View report page

68
remained an area of serious pollution. Moreover, since 1963 there
has been a perceptible deterioration in the seaward reaches.
Storm Flooding.—There were no instances of damage to
property due to unusually heavy rainfall recorded during the
current year.
River Ravensbourne—Improvement and Jurisdiction.—
Although no complaints of flooding were received during the
year under review, nevertheless, for over a century now at times
of heavy rainfall the Ravensbourne has overflowed its banks to
inundate the proximal areas, some as many as five times a year.
The catchment area of the Ravensbourne, amounting to
about 70 square miles, is centred around the South East of
London and the contiguous suburban development areas of Kent
and, locally, the river carries the surface water from parts of
Deptford, Greenwich, Lewisham and Woolwich.
In recent years marsh areas have been filled in and the increase
in paved areas resulting from the rapid expansion of housing
estates and haphazard culverting have all served to swell the
rate and quantity of run-off water discharged into the river.
Combined sewage systems have tended to lessen the effects but
the problem has been considerably aggravated by the indiscriminate
dumping of rubbish in the water course. Further development,
now taking place and planned for the future, will undoubtedly
increase the flow, frequency and intensity of the flooding
during storm periods unless measures are taken immediately
to off-set these factors.
It was for this reason that the River Ravensbourne,
etc. (Improvement and Flood Prevention) Act 1961, was
introduced to confer like powers on the London and Kent
County Councils for "the improvement and protection of
and the prevention of flooding from the River Ravensbourne and
its tributaries and for purposes connected therewith." In London
it applies not only to the rivers Ravensbourne, Pool, and Quaggy,
the Kid Brook, Kyd Brook and the Lower Kid Brook but also to
the parts of all tributaries, brooks and watercourses (whether open
or covered) that flow into these rivers or streams.
Powers are given to both these County Councils to make bylaws
and, in the prevention of pollution,
(a) to dredge, cleanse and scour the stream,
(b) to reduce or remove any shoals, shelves, banks or other
accumulations in the stream.