The North Drain spans a distance of approximately 6.5 miles from Hurn Sluice on the River Sheppey to the North Drain Pumping Station, where it converges with the River Brue in a westerly direction. Along its course, it traverses Westhay Moor, Aller Moor, Tadham Moor, and Tealham Moor, intersecting with several Droves. The initial endeavor to drain the moors in this area took place in 1774, when an Act was obtained to facilitate the drainage of Tadham Moor through the construction of a parallel Rhyne adjacent to the River Brue. This initiative was later expanded to include Westhay and Godney Moors. Following the enactment of the Brue Drainage Act in 1801, the Hurn Sluice was constructed, linking it with the western end of the River Brue and creating the North Drain. However, this system was never entirely effective, as the moors remained prone to flooding during periods of high water levels in the River Brue. The inflow from the drain was hindered by the elevated waters in the Brue, resulting in a backflow into the moors. It was not until the construction of the North Drain Pumping Station in 1959 that the challenges associated with gravitational drainage were successfully addressed. This camera was installed and is maintained by the Environment Agency and can be viewed
here All content is available under the
Open Government Licence v3.0. The landscape of Somerset is largely characterized by distinct geological formations. The region encompasses various types of landscapes, such as the limestone karst and lias of the northern areas, the clay vales and wetlands in the central region, the oolites in the eastern and southern parts, and the Devonian sandstone in the western portion.
Situated northeast of the Somerset Levels, the Mendip Hills constitute moderately high limestone hills. The central and western sections of the Mendip Hills were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1972, covering an area of 198 km2. Calcareous grassland predominates in these hills, alongside some arable agriculture. To the southwest of the Somerset Levels lies the Quantock Hills, which were the first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England in 1956. This area covers 99 square kilometers and features heathland, oak woodlands, and ancient parklands with conifer plantations. The Somerset Coalfield forms part of a larger coalfield that extends into Gloucestershire. North of the Mendip Hills lies the Chew Valley, while to the south, on the clay substrate, broad valleys support dairy farming and drain into the Somerset Levels.
