Under the EU rules we can no longer dredge rivers or estuaries or clear out ditches or straighten waterways to improve flow as has been done for hundreds of years by sensible local organisations. In the few cases where the gauliters in Brussels do allow work to be done the mud pulled up has to be disposed of as contaminated waste!! The Environment Agency has also withdrawn all funding to help landowners to clear waterways. That is all what caused the last big floods in the Somerset Levels. You couldn't make it up though Cameron will pretend that it is not his fault and must be due to the Climate Change pixies.