Reducing flood risk – the maintenance work we do to keep rivers flowing

The Environment Agency operates and maintains approximately 78,000 flood and coast defence assets in England with a value of £26 billion. This includes: 7,000km of linear river and coast defences such as flood walls, embankments, channels and culverts - twice the length of the UK’s motorway network. The work we do to help keep those channels and culverts clear alongside our work to maintain flood defences is a vital part of our maintenance programme and plays an important part in reducing flood.