Odvodnja suvišnih voda predstavljala je gotovo oduvijek bitan zahtjev, naročito zbog načina korištenja zemljišta u Hrvatskoj. Hidrološke i klimatološke prilike su na našem prostoru takove da je odvodnja zemljišta bila i ostala jedan od najvažnijih zadataka u vodoprivrednoj djelatnosti. Upravo je to jedna od čestih dvojbi kod izbora reda prvenstva ulaganja, a u nedostatku sredstava za istodobno rješenje odvodnje i navodnjavanja.. Od sredine 19. stoljeća znatno se nametnuo problem suvišnih voda u kraju uz gornji tok Save, posebice u Zagrebu i okolici, budući da su privredni razvoj (promet, obrt, trgovina, industrija) i demografska kretanja bili nezaustavljivi pa je država problem odvodnje ipak rješavala dugoročnim zajmovima i zakonskim regulativama, tj. zakonima iz područja vodnog prava uz podupiranje određenih regulacijskih radova koji su postupno rješavali taj problem u ugroženom području. Odvodnja se tijekom 19. stoljeća, ali i nadalje, javlja kao vodoprivredna djelatnost – bitna za uspostavljanje pogodnih uvjeta života i gospodarstva.. Prateći u Zagrebu, izgradnju nasipa od 1894. pa nadalje, stvoren je preduvjet za daljnji razvoj sustavne odvodnje u gradu. Istodobno su obrambeni nasipi od visokog vodostaja Save ujedno postali preduvjet za sigurno širenje Zagreba u nizinske dijelove..; Drainage of excess water has nearly always been an important precondition, particularly given the way land is used in Croatia. Hydrological and climate conditions in our area are such that land drainage was and still remains one of the most important activities of water management. This, in particular, poses a frequent doubt when determining the order of investment priorities in case of insufficient funds for simultaneous solution of both drainage and irrigation. Since the middle of the 19 century, the problem of excess waters in the Upper Sava area became a key problem, especially in Zagreb and its vicinity due to accelerated economic development (traffic, crafts, trade, industry) and demographic trends, thus the government was solving the problem of drainage through long-term loans and legislation, i.e. water laws, while supporting certain regulation works which were gradually solving this problem in the endangered area. During the 19th century and later on, drainage remains a water management activity vital for creating favourable living and economic conditions. The construction of dikes in Zagreb since 1894 onwards created the conditions for further development of systematic drainage in the city. At the same time, defensive dikes protected the city from high water levels of the Sava and thus became a precondition for Zagreb’s safe expansion into the lowland areas.