The Upper Ouse Water Management Board has officially joined the Water Management Alliance (WMA), marking the beginning of a new chapter in the delivery of water level and flood risk management across the region.
The occasion was formally recognised at the WMA’s Consortium Management Committee meeting on Friday 26 June, where Sam Markillie MBE, Chair, and Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive of the WMA, welcomed Doug McMurdo, Chair, and Justin Farrington-Smith, Vice Chair of the Upper Ouse Water Management Board, to their first meeting as part of the group.
The move follows formal ratification of the Consortium Agreement, which has now been unanimously approved by all seven existing WMA Member Boards. This completes the final governance milestone in the Upper Ouse Water Management Board’s integration into the WMA.
The Upper Ouse Water Management Board was established in 2026 following the amalgamation of the Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board, the Buckingham and River Ouzel Internal Drainage Board, and the Alconbury and Ellington Internal Drainage Board. Covering parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas, the Board manages more than 1,100 kilometres of watercourses and plays a vital role in flood risk management, watercourse maintenance, and providing sustainable drainage and development advice.
Through its membership of the WMA, the Board will benefit from access to shared specialist services including engineering, environmental management, GIS (mapping), development control, project delivery, governance and financial support. The shared services model strengthens operational resilience and supports efficient, consistent delivery of water management services in the face of increasing pressures from climate change, population growth and major infrastructure development.
The Upper Ouse Water Management Board’s district includes areas of significant growth and nationally important infrastructure projects, where effective water level management and drainage infrastructure are critical to sustainable development. Membership of the WMA enables the Board to draw on wider technical expertise while maintaining its local accountability and focus on serving its communities.
Sam Markillie MBE, Chair of the WMA, said:
“On behalf of the Water Management Alliance and our Member Boards, I am delighted to welcome the Upper Ouse Water Management Board to the group.
“Water level and flood risk management is becoming increasingly complex, and collaboration through a shared services model allows Internal Drainage Boards to access specialist expertise, improve resilience and deliver better outcomes for the communities, businesses and environments they serve.
“The Upper Ouse Water Management Board brings extensive experience and responsibility for a strategically important drainage district, and we look forward to working closely together as part of the Alliance.”
Doug McMurdo, Chair of the Upper Ouse Water Management Board, said:
“We are absolutely delighted that the Upper Ouse Water Management Board (WMA), is formally a Member of the Water Management Alliance. We have worked tirelessly over the last five years, to amalgamate our three Boards; Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board, the Buckingham and River Ouzel Internal Drainage Board, and the Alconbury and Ellington Internal Drainage Board into one Board, the new Upper Ouse Water Management Board and whilst executing this (effective 1st April 2026), we have aligned ourselves strongly with the WMA over the years, and to become a full Member of the ‘Consortium’ is a fantastic step forward.
This brings about several advantages to and for all our stakeholders, to include our much-valued staff, in that we are now a player in a much bigger team. This will ensure we have greater resilience within our operations and the ability to call on support from the bigger team.”
The addition of the Upper Ouse Water Management Board further strengthens the collective reach of the Water Management Alliance, increasing the total managed watercourse network across Member Boards to more than 3,700 kilometres and supporting flood risk management across a combined watershed catchment of over 306,299 hectares.
While benefiting from the WMA’s shared services, the Upper Ouse Water Management Board will continue to operate as an independent public body, retaining local decision-making and accountability for its drainage district.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to delivering efficient, sustainable and resilient water management for communities, agriculture, infrastructure and the environment, both now and in the future.
For more information (press only):
Pippa Purser-Ward
Marketing & Communications Lead, Water Management Alliance
m: 07350 425237
Further Press Information
The Upper Ouse Water Management Board (UOWMB) is an independent, democratically accountable public body responsible for water level management and flood risk reduction across the upper reaches of the Great Ouse catchment, covering parts of Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, North Buckinghamshire, North Oxfordshire, North Hertfordshire and South-East Cambridgeshire. The Board serves a drainage district of 37,709 hectares and manages 1,147 kilometres of watercourses.
Formed on 1 April 2026 through the amalgamation of the Bedfordshire and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board, the Buckingham and River Ouzel Internal Drainage Board, and the Alconbury and Ellington Internal Drainage Board, the Upper Ouse Water Management Board is responsible for managing local flood risk, maintaining and improving watercourses, and supporting sustainable development through the provision of drainage and water management advice.
The Board exercises powers under the Land Drainage Act 1991 to maintain and improve ordinary watercourses, regulate activities affecting the drainage network, and provide oversight of water level management throughout its district. Through its maintenance programmes and regulatory functions, the Board helps reduce flood risk to communities, businesses, infrastructure and agricultural land, while supporting environmental enhancement and sustainable growth.
The Upper Ouse Water Management Board's district includes areas experiencing significant housing, commercial and infrastructure growth, including several nationally significant development projects. The Board plays an important role in ensuring development is delivered sustainably and that drainage infrastructure continues to function effectively for future generations.
As one of eight Member Boards of the Water Management Alliance (WMA), Upper Ouse Water Management Board benefits from shared technical, administrative and operational support, while retaining its local independence and accountability. Together, the WMA’s Member Boards protect over 854,000 hectares across the Midlands, South Lincolnshire, East Anglia and the South-East, delivering sustainable water management and flood resilience for communities, landowners and the environment.
For more information:
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