I am afraid Peter Rickaby (Letters, September 28) might have misunderstood the dredging intentions of the Environment Agency’s engineers.

At the last Communities and Environment Committee its technical manager was quite clear. “It is something that we always consider when we look at reducing flood risk, but it is not always appropriate and I think in the Foss in particular, which is a relatively small water course it can make some difference …

“Within the urbanised area from the ring road inwards we think speeding up the flow of the Foss … would actually help …

"Where it is a good idea to make water flow faster, dredging can be effective. But of course if you dredge one area it makes it worse for another …

“The difference it would make in the Ouse is negligible. And the cost if you try to dredge the Ouse as well as the effectiveness would just outweigh any benefits that you would get from it.

“The Ouse is a massive river. It is self-cleaning.

“The most efficient way of dredging a river is let it do itself; and the Ouse can do that, because it is big, it can flow.”

Cllr Lars Kramm Ward Councillor for Micklegate Ward York Green Party York