If you own land or property alongside a river or other watercourse, this guide is for you.
- It explains your rights and responsibilities as an owner. It also explains our role and that of other organisations with which you may need to work.
- It explains who is responsible for flood defences and what that means in practice.
- It shows how we can work together to protect and enhance the natural environment of our rivers and streams.
We are publishing this guide because we have powers and responsibilities relating to rivers and watercourses throughout England and Wales. Our work often affects people who live nearby. A watercourse is any natural or artificial channel through which water flows, such as a river, brook, beck, or mill stream.
Our job is to protect and manage the environment - land, air and water. Our day-to-day activities include pollution prevention and control, waste regulation, water resources and flood risk management. We also have duties relating to fisheries, recreation and conservation.
