Riparian Water Rights - Riparian Rights and Duties in England and Wales

Riparian Rights and Duties in England and Wales

The Environment Agency lists the riparian rights and duties in England and Wales:

Rights:

• ownership of the land up to the centre of the watercourse - unless it is known to be owned by someone else
• right for water to flow onto your land in its natural quantity and quality
• right to protect property from flooding, and land from erosion (but subject to approval by the Agency)
• right to fish in the watercourse - however this right may be sold or leased, and a fisherman must have a valid Environment Agency rod licence.
• right to acquire accretion
• right to boomage

Duties:

• to pass on the flow of water without obstruction, pollution or diversion affecting the rights of others
• to accept flood flows, even if caused by inadequate capacity downstream, but there is no duty to improve the drainage capacity of a watercourse
• to maintain the bed and banks of the watercourse and to clear any debris, whether natural or man-made
• to keep any culverts, rubbish screens, weirs and mill gates clear of debris
• to be responsible for protection of your land from flooding
• to not cause any obstructions - either temporary or permanent - that would prevent the free passage of fish