Main River
River vs 'Main River'
Main River - What is it?
Statutory Main River - often simply referred to as 'Main River' is a designation given to watercourses, or sections of them, by the Environment Agency if they meet certain criteria (see table below). They are typically larger rivers and streams.
The Environment Agency, in its role as a Risk Management Authority (RMA), has a statutory responsibility to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on main rivers to manage flood risk.
All other rivers, i.e. any watercourse not designated as main river, are called ‘ordinary watercourses’. Lead local flood authorities (LLFAs), district councils and internal drainage boards, all of which are RMAs, carry out flood risk management work on ordinary watercourses. For Leicester City this is Leicester City Council in its role as a LLFA.
Canals on the other hand, as well as most of their associated assets, are under the authority of the Canal and River Trust (CRT), which is a charity and a Navigation Authority. While not a Risk Management Authority (RMA) itself, other RMAs can arrange with the Canal and River Trust to carry out flood risk management functions on their behalf.
| Principal criteria that the EA uses to designate a watercourse as 'main river': | |
|---|---|
Flood consequence: | 1) A watercourse should be a main river if significant numbers of people and/or properties are liable to flood. This also includes areas where there are vulnerable groups and areas where flooding can occur with limited time for warnings. |
Managing flooding across the catchment: | 2) A watercourse should be a main river where it could contribute to extensive flooding across a catchment. |
| 3) A watercourse should be a main river if it is required to reduce flood risk elsewhere or provide capacity for water flowing from, for example, a reservoir, sewage treatment works or another river. | |
For more information visit - Main river map for England: proposed changes and decisions - GOV.UK or Designation of ‘main rivers’: guidance to the Environment Agency - GOV.UK.
Where is it?
Main River Map - England
A single watercourse can have many different names, often one (or more) for each distinct community/village/neighbourhood etc. situated upon it.
The below map displays the names the Environment Agency uses to refer to all the watercourse sections in Leicester City that are designated as main river. Allowing you to understand precisely where we are referring to when we use these names in our communications and interactions with you.
