Riverside Property Owners: What You Should Know

Owning a property on a picturesque waterway has a certain appeal to many people, however with this comes a number of responsibilities that owners must heed and should take into consideration. Although entitled riverside property owners, this article is not just for people that own land with adjacent rivers, but also streams and brooks, all of which require special attention. At first, someone may not be aware of these rights and responsibilities, but if a property is fortunate enough to have one of the aforementioned watercourses then the owner has a direct responsibility to maintain the river course, including the beds and banks, to ensure that the water flows without obstruction, in addition to controlling vegetation that may impinge on this. A "duty of care" is owed to other riverside owners, as well as to the environment and the wider community.
One concern that owners may have is soil erosion, and the potential problems that this may have on their property. Any plans to protect a property from this which may alter or disrupt the flow of water must be agreed by the Environment Agency prior to work being carried out. Being a riparian owner, the terminology for someone that owns land that contains a watercourse, means that water should flow naturally and not allow it to become polluted, this includes litter and animal carcasses, even if they do not originate from the property.
Another potential concern or drawback to owning such a property is the fact that because these premises are a lot closer to a water source, they are therefore more susceptible and liable to flooding. As the land owner, it is important that flood defences are maintained, and these are crucial for the protection of life and property, not only your own but also those living within close proximity. Once again the Environment Agency documents a range of resources which are useful for individuals that are in this predicament, and can be found on their website. It is important that riparian owners make their insurance company aware of their position, as in the event of flooding, their property potentially may not be covered. However, there are a number of insurance brokers that offer home flood insurance, it is just a case of finding the right one.
Fishing in these waters is allowed, although legal methods must be utilised and a valid license should be obtained from the Environment Agency. Also allowed is the removal of water, however extracting in excess of 4,400 gallons a day means that an abstraction license must be obtained. There are a number of rights and responsibilities that water side owners should abide by and these are documented in the Environment Agency's booklet entitled Living on the Edge. Not following the guidelines outlined in this document, and other legal requirements that should be met can result in legal action.
There is a wealth of comprehensive information about owning riverside properties on the Environment Agency's website, as well as them being available to answer questions that you may have.