• The council manages the use and maintenance of small, non-main river watercourses. Contact us about maintenance or improvement:
  Contact the Flood Management and Drainage Team
• Larger, designated 'main rivers' are managed by the Environment Agency. Contact them for advice on restrictions and approvals required for working near main rivers:
  Environment Agency: Guidance for riverside property owners (external site)
  Environment Agency: Contact us (external site)
• Generally, adjacent (riparian) landowners have a right to enjoy the watercourse, which includes a right to drain their land to the watercourse.

• If you own land adjoining a watercourse, you have rights and responsibilities as a riparian owner.
• You need to discuss any work proposed in or near the watercourse with the council.

Your rights

• You are presumed to own the land up to the centre of the watercourse.
• Water should flow onto your land in its natural quantity and quality.
• You have the right to protect your property from flooding and your land from erosion, but need to discuss any proposals with the council.
• You usually have the right to fish in your watercourse but need to get a rod licence from the Environment Agency:
  Environment Agency: Which rod licence should I buy? (external site)
• If you wish to abstract more than 20 cubic metres of water/day from the watercourse, you need a licence from the Environment Agency:
  Environment Agency: Do you need a licence? (external site)

Your responsibilities

• You have the responsibility to pass on flow without obstruction, pollution or diversion.
• You must accept flood flows through your land even if they are caused by inadequate capacity downstream.
• You must maintain the beds and banks of the watercourse, including trees. You must also clear debris from your watercourse even if it doesn't originate from your land.
• You must keep the bed and banks of the watercourse clear of any obstructions to the flow of water.
• You must keep any structures that you own clear of debris.
• You must control any invasive alien species, such as Japanese Knotweed:
  Japanese Knotweed

Flood Management and Drainage Team
Civic Centre 3
Huddersfield
HD1 2JR

Email: floodmanagement@kirklees.gov.uk