Flooding – Riparian Ownership
Riparian Ownership – Managing a Watercourse
If you own land alongside a watercourse you are legally termed a ‘riparian owner’. As such you have certain rights and responsibilities which you should be aware including:-
• The responsibility for maintaining any watercourse, ditch or culvert running through or adjacent to your land, including the vegetation on the banks, in order to keep these clear and prevent flooding (including main rivers).
• If the watercourse runs along the boundary between two neighbouring properties, each owner will be responsible for maintenance up to the centre line of the watercourse.
Riparian owners can face legal action if the lack of maintenance of their watercourse causes flooding.
