The river Great Ouse at St Ives flooded in 1947, and some parts suffered seriously again at Easter 1998 and in January 2003. Extensive flood protection works were carried out on both sides of the river in 2006-07 at a cost of nearly £9 million. of brick-clad steel-piling was put into place to protect the town, most noticeably at the Waits, where a plaza has also been created. A further on the other side of the river protects Hemingford Grey, reducing the yearly risk of flooding from 10% to 1%. Building on the flood plain at St Ives is now discouraged.
