Who is responsible for a watercourse?

Print all pages

---

A common misunderstanding is that the Environment Agency or Council are responsible for looking after watercourses. This is incorrect. Riparian landowners have responsibility for watercourses.

You can be classified as a riparian landowner if:

1. You own a watercourse (see How to tell if I own a watercourse?).
2. Your land abuts a stretch of of land containing a watercourse where the owner is legally unknown.

As a riparian landowner you have certain rights and responsibilities towards the watercourse. This is knows as 'Riparian Rights and Responsibilities'. The four responsibilities are:

1. Let water flow naturally by:
   • removing blockages if they obstruct navigation, reduce the flow of water or cause flooding to other landowner's property.
   • Keeping any trash screen, weir, mill, gate or other structure clear.
2. Prevent pollution by:
   • Not throwing waste water, chemicals, or anything else that can cause pollution onto the banks or into the water.
   • Removing litter from the watercourse and its banks.
   • Remove any animal carcasses you find.
   • Not putting garden waste, including grass cuttings, onto the banks or into the water.
3. Protect wildlife by:
   • Not disturbing the watercourse bed or banks, birds and their nests, or spawning fish and their eggs.
   • Preventing invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed from spreading into the wild or neighbouring land.
4. Report an incident to the relevant authority when you become aware of:
   • Flooding.
   • Blockages that could cause flooding.
   • Pollution.
   • Unusual changes to the flow of water.
   • Collapsed or badly damaged banks.
   • Any work or activity on or near a watercourse that may not have permission.

Was this page helpful?

Click or tap the rating which best represents your experience.