West Oxfordshire District Council

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Ditches and watercourses

Responsibility for ditches and watercourses is shared between the Environmental Agency, Oxfordshire Country Council, the District Council and riparian owners.

Report a drainage problem with a ditch or watercourse:

Flooding online form or
01993 861000

Riparian owners
If you own land or property next to a river or other watercourse (such as a brook, beck or mill stream) you are considered a 'riparian owner'. This means that you should keep the watercourse clear of any obstruction. Failure to do so could result with you being served with a legal notice.

More advice on the rights and responsibilities of riparian owners, including a useful leaflet called 'Living on the edge,' is available from the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency
The Environment Agency has a general responsibility for the major watercourses (main rivers) in the District.

These include the River Thames, River Windrush, River Cherwell, and their major tributaries, eg Queen Emma's Dyke, Shill Brook, Coombe Brook and the Rivers Glyme and Dorn.

The Environment Agency maintains these main rivers or can serve 'notice' to ensure that riparian owners maintain them.

West Oxfordshire District Council
Ditches and watercourses owned by the council are cleared regularly and are continually monitored. This includes inspecting and clearing all associated grids to culverts every three months. This prevents the accumulation of leaves and rubbish which would otherwise cause a blockage in the drainage system.

As the local authority, we also inspect ditches under private riparian ownership that have been identified as a possible cause of flooding and, where applicable, will contact the riparian owner to remind them of their responsibilities.

For more information:
If you require a definitive map showing the main rivers in the district, or have any queries, please contact: