Thanks to enhanced funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Simpson added, we have made great strides in tackling much-needed jobs, such as replacing old lock gates, on our waterways over the past two years. These crucial works help to make the rivers safer and more accessible, so it’s great that we’ve got the support to carry on making progress.

The River Thames heads the winter programme, with almost £6m of much-needed works being carried out over the forthcoming months. The largest project will take place at Teddington where £850,000 will be spent on major repairs to the Lock Island, including the stabilisation of banks that are collapsing because of erosion exacerbated by this summer’s exceptional rain and fast flows.

Pinkhill Lock will also undergo a vital £500,000 refurbishment and public power will be installed at Godstow, Clifton, Mapledurham and Marsh Locks. This work will allow boaters to open lock gates automatically, rather than manually, when the lock keeper is off duty.

Meanwhile, the continuation of a five-year programme to replace landing stages along the River Great Ouse will be taking place in the EA’s Anglian region.

Almost £200,000 has also been earmarked for further renovations to the lock at South Ferrriby and, in all, £2.7m of Defra-funding will be spent on upgrading navigational sites and structures in this region. A further £2.5m from external partners will also pay for the start of Phase 1 of the Fens Waterways Link - preparation work for the building of a new lock at Boston.

Finally, almost £2m will be spent on 15 projects on Kent’s River Medway.

‘Above average rainfall over several months created tough, sometimes impossible, working conditions for our divers and engineers last winter,’ said Simpson said. ‘Following the devastating deluges of June and July we could well be in for more of the same this time around.’