May I suggest alternative methods to avoid towns and villages becoming flooded from ground water. Whilst dredging has its place to remove debris, it only increases the speed of the downward flow in rivers causing irreparable damage to property. Building even higher walls along the river banks may hold back the rising water but it does seem to make the streets feel like prisons. Perhaps there should be a better approach to water retention . . .
When I worked in India the monsoons certainly caused much flooding. However much of the problem was alleviated by the construction of monsoon drains some three feet deep around the buildings which protected the inhabitants of properties around the town. This should be a planning requirement in areas prone to flooding when properties are built and of course be separated from sewage outflow. I read somewhere that in Grand Canaria they built storm channels to protect the tourist resorts in a similar way. If such systems take flood water away from the towns, rather than through them, most of the damage we have recently witnessed could have been avoided.

Photos: John Minter
Rather “woolly” thinking of Mr Bantick to believe the floods are due to sheep, that have been grazing the hills of the UK for thousands of years, rather than the inappropriate building of houses on flood plains!
He must have been brainwashed by reading the Guardian newspapers articles by George Monbiot !?!