Denver Sluice, a fascinating and vitally important complex for water management across large parts of the surrounding Fens, situated as it is at the confluence of five watercourses. In 1651 the first sluice was built across the river at Denver, by Cornelius Vermuyden, although it had to be rebuilt after bursting in 1713. Today the complex is managed by the Environment Agency who also provide a small interpretation centre and pre-booked tours of the site for groups.
The Denver Sluice complex not only manages the heart of the Great Ouse River System and a range of other river systems that converge at Denver, it also plays a key role in river navigation, conservation, water abstraction, agricultural and land drainage and fisheries.
The operation of the Denver Complex and management of the Ouse Washes are also bound together. Maintaining the right balance for this range of interests whilst delivering the Complex’s main role for flood defence is hard to achieve all of the time.
