The Rivers Idle & Ryton Internal Drainage Board was reconstituted in 1987 following many years of administration by the Severn-Trent Water Authority and its predecessors. The first meeting of the new Board was held on the 25th November of that year.

The Board’s District lies mainly within the area covered by Bassetlaw District Council with only a small area within Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council’s area. The Board is mainly a rural Board with small areas of urban development. The main urban area is the town of Retford which lies almost totally outside of the District.

The Board’s district covers some 6,294 hectares and is of a very irregular shape. The Board’s northern boundary is to the south of Bawtry and Misson whilst its southern boundary is to the south of Bothamsall.

The Board maintains some 85 km of watercourse and 1 pumping station. The Board is divided into two distinct areas by the River Idle which runs in an approximate north south direction through the Board’s district. The area to the east of the River Idle and to the north of Retford relies on a single gravity outfall at Wiseton and a pumping station which operates when the gravity outfall is unable to operate. The areas to the west of the River Idle rely exclusively on numerous gravity discharges into the River Idle and its tributaries the rivers Maun and Medan.

All of these three rivers are currently maintained by the Environment Agency.