Editing Old Bedford River (section)

===Second phase===
Although activity ceased, planning did not. Proposals to drain the Great Level were submitted to Parliament in August 1645, and although progress was slow, in part due to a huge number of objections, they resulted in an act of Parliament being passed on 29 May 1649. This empowered [[William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford|William Russell, the fifth Earl of Bedford]] and some adventurers to drain the Great Level, without disrupting navigation on the rivers, and to make them into "winter ground". They had until 10 October 1656 to complete the work. "Winter ground" would be suitable for growing crops such as coleseed, rapeseed, corn, grain, hemp and flax, as well as providing pasture for cattle.{{sfn |Darby |1956 |pp=66-69}} Despite the act, the undertakers did not have a clear plan of what they would do to achieve the drainage, but were hoping that they could include the works of the Fourth Earl of Bedford. Several engineers made suggestions, but only Vermuyden had a clear plan and workmen to complete the work. As a result, he became the project director on 25 January 1650, despite not being popular particularly with his colleagues.{{sfn |Darby |1956 |pp=69-70}} 

He split the Great Level into three, which were later known as the North Level, the Middle Level and the South Level, with the Bedford River forming the divide between the Middle Level and the South Level. Work began of the North and Middle Levels first, with the existing drainage works being restored, and new embanking and sluices constructed. In the South Level, the New Bedford River was cut, running parallel to the original Bedford River, which was renamed the Old Bedford River. This was around {{convert|0.5|mi|km|1}} to the east of the Old Bedford River, and was known as the Hundred Foot River. It became the main channel for the upland waters of the Great Ouse. Water was diverted into it, instead of along the Old Bedford River, by the Severn Holes Sluice, at the start of the Old Bedford River. A high barrier bank was constructed to the west of the Old Bedford River, and another to the east of the New Bedford River, so that in times of flood, the intervening space between the rivers would be inundated, but the surrounding land would not.{{sfn |Darby |1956 |pp=70-72}} This vast washland is known as the [[Ouse Washes]].{{sfn |Blair |2006 |p=38}}

Earlier disruption of the work was repeated, with attempts to destroy the newly-created banks, and the adventurers resorting to using armed guards to protect their work. Frequent complaints were made to Parliament, and eventually, it became difficult to obtain labourers. After the [[Battle of Dunbar (1650)|Battle of Dunbar]] some of the workers were Scottish prisoners, and their numbers were swelled by Dutch prisoners after the [[Battle of Dover (1652)|Battle of Dover]]. The works in the North and Middle Levels, to the north-west of the Old Bedford River, were judged to be completed on 26 March 1651, and a second judgement took place at Ely in March 1652, when the South Level was signed off. A service of thanksgiving took place in Ely Cathedral, to celebrate the completion of the work.{{sfn |Darby |1956 |pp=75-77}} Attempts were made to create a formal organisation to ensure the works were maintained, and this resulted in the creation of the [[Bedford Level Corporation]] under the terms of the [[General Drainage Act 1663]].{{sfn |Darby |1956 |pp=77-78}}