The Mildenhall Internal Drainage District was originally constituted in 1711 and its District is located in Suffolk and forms part of the “South Level Fens”. The District Boundary encloses an area of 3,383ha. (8,359ac.) with a total pumped catchment of 3,725ha. (9,205ac.).
The District comprises of high grade agricultural land, much of which is below sea level and therefore is reliant on pumped drainage for its existence, as it has been for many years. The pumping station basin consists of an area of peat land with areas of sandy drift and loamy chalky drift forming the slightly high lands to the north and east.
The Board undertake their drainage, water level management responsibilities, by designating and maintaining a network of 53.4km. of drain which gravitates to the Board’s Alder Fen Pumping Station at the south western extremity of the District. Water levels are terraced/controlled by a number of structures in the Board’s drains from the upper reaches to the pumping station basin. Surplus water from the District is discharged through the Board’s pumping plant at the Alder Fen site into the River Lark.