Ditches and watercourses

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, e.g. Queen Emma's Dyke, Shill Brook, Coombe Brook and the Rivers Glyme and Dorn.

Maintenance of Watercourses
In general the maintenance of watercourses lies with their riparian owners, that is, the owner of land directly adjacent to a watercourse (these are often private householders whose gardens abut a watercourse) and the presumption in law is that the riparian owner will own up to half way across a watercourse and be responsible for maintaining it.

For ordinary watercourses, the Council has powers to maintain them or to serve Notices to ensure that riparian owners maintain them. For main rivers, the Environment Agency has similar powers.

Ditch clearance schedule 2007 - 2008
Following the July 2007 floods,clearance work has been carried out on ditches and ordinary watercourses owned by the Council and these are detailed below. The Council is now inspecting ditches under private riparian ownership that have been identified as a possible cause of flooding and where applicable will contact the landowner to remind them of their responsibilities.

The Green, Westwell
26 Sept to 1 Oct 07
Monahan Way, Carterton
1 Oct to 19 Oct 07
Oxford Hill (west to east), Witney
22 Oct to 29 Oct 07
Madley Park (Jubilee Way to Madley Brook, alongside rear of Judds Close)
30 Oct to 15 Dec 07
Ducklington Lane / Queen Emma's Dyke, Witney
10 Dec to 19 Dec 07
Monahan Way and Station Rd, Brize Norton
17 Dec 07 to 9 Jan 08
North Leigh Common
10 Jan to 22 Jan 08
Shilton Park, Carterton
24 Jan to 28 Jan 08
New Road, Bampton
30 Jan to 6 Feb 08
North Leigh, alongside recreation ground
5 Feb to 11 Feb 08
Cogges Museum car park - work for Oxon County Council
11 Feb to 19 Feb 08
Madley Park: Jubilee Way to Madley Brook, alongside Harvest Way
20 Feb to 3 Mar 08
Millers Mews / Grangers Place, Witney
4 Mar to 20 Mar 08
Burford Rd, Brize Norton
13 Mar to 14 Mar 08
Buckland Rd, Bampton - work for Bampton Parish Council
10 Apr to 18 Apr 08
The Elms, Langford
21 Apr to 23 Apr 08
Station Lane, Witney - further works
1 May to 7 May 08
The Leys, Salford
15 May to 19 May
Millers Mews / Grangers Place, Witney - further works
19 May to 21 May 08
Cogges Museum car park - further works for OCC
9 June to 20 June 08
Buckland Rd, Bampton - for Bampton Parish Council
23 June to 11 July 08
Standlake Rd, Ducklington - work for private owners
7 July to 18 July

Engineering surveys
Following the July 2007 floods engineers are surveying the areas which flooded and mapping all watercourses in the district and identifying their ownership. Flood Reports will be available for each affected town/parish by the end of summer 2008. Twelve reports are already available and can be viewed on the Flood reports and reviews page.

If you require a definitive map showing the main rivers in the district, or have any queries, please contact Street Scene on 01993 861020.