A range of organisations have roles and responsibilities in flood risk management. They are known as 'Risk Management Authorities' and work in partnership to manage flood risk and drainage in Somerset.
Flooding from watercourses
Main Rivers
The Environment Agency is responsible for managing flood risk from Main Rivers in Somerset. These are watercourses for which the Environment Agency has permissive powers, but the riparian owner has the responsibility of maintenance.
Check the map to see the Main Rivers in Somerset.
Ordinary watercourses (outside the IDB)
Somerset Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, is responsible for managing flood risk from ordinary watercourses (i.e. all watercourses which are not Main Rivers) outside the Internal Drainage Boards (IDB). The Council has similar permissive powers as the Environment Agency in relation to flood defence work. However, the riparian owner has the responsibility of maintenance.
Ordinary watercourses (inside the IDB)
The Somerset Drainage Board Consortium works in partnership with other authorities to manage flood risk and drainage from ordinary watercourses within the Internal Drainage Board areas. The Internal Drainage Boards have similar permissive powers as the Environment Agency in relation to flood defence work. However, the riparian owner has the responsibility of maintenance.
Check the map to see which areas are managed by the Internal Drainage Boards.
Flooding from other sources
Flooding from rainfall (surface water)
Somerset Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, is responsible for managing flood risk from surface water.
Flooding to roads
Somerset Council, as Highways Authority, is responsible for managing flood risk and drainage on the local adopted road network.
Flooding from groundwater
Somerset Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, is responsible for managing flood risk from groundwater.
Flooding from the coast
The Environment Agency is responsible for managing coastal and tidal flood risk. As a coastal unitary authority, Somerset Council has powers to manage erosion along the coastline. This responsibility was previously held by Sedgmoor, and Somerset West and Taunton District Councils.
Flooding from sewers
Wessex Water and South West Water, as the sewerage undertakers in Somerset, are responsible for managing flood risk from the combined, foul and surface water public sewer system.
Flooding from reservoirs
The Environment Agency has overall responsibility for managing flooding from reservoirs. Reservoir owners, which include Water and Sewerage Companies, are responsible for on-site management of flood risk.
Riparian ownership
Watercourse flowing between private and public landWhereas the Risk Management Authorities have an overall responsibility for managing flood risk from watercourses, responsibility for maintenance falls to individual landowners. If you own land or property next to a river, stream or ditch you are a ‘riparian landowner’, and have a responsibility to maintain the watercourse.
The Environment Agency have developed a guide called Living on the Edge. It includes information on your rights as a riparian landowner, the laws in which they are established, and where you need permission from a third party. Permission may be needed from your local authority (unitary, county or district council), Internal Drainage Board or the Environment Agency.
Where the watercourse forms the boundary between two properties, each property is responsible for half of the watercourse, up to the centre of the channel. Riparian owners should keep their section of watercourse freely-flowing, and keep the channel clear of any obstructions to flow.
To undertake works to the watercourse, riparian owners may still require an Ordinary Watercourse Consent for an ordinary watercourse and a Flood Risk Permit for Main Rivers.