Statutory Main Rivers Map is a spatial (polyline) dataset that defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by the Environment Agency. Watercourses designated as ‘main river’ are generally the larger arterial watercourses. The Environment Agency has permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers. All other open water courses in England are determined by statute as an ‘ordinary watercourse’. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

Statutory Main Rivers Map is a spatial (polyline) dataset that defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by the Environment Agency.

Watercourses designated as ‘main river’ are generally the larger arterial watercourses. The Environment Agency has permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers.

All other open water courses in England are determined by statute as an ‘ordinary watercourse’. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

Statutory Main Rivers Map is a spatial (polyline) dataset that defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by the Environment Agency.

Watercourses designated as ‘main river’ are generally the larger arterial watercourses. The Environment Agency has permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers.

All other open water courses in England are determined by statute as an ‘ordinary watercourse’. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve.Ordnance Survey MasterMap Water Network and local survey dataClick Here to go straight to the DSP Metadata Page for this Dataset.

The statutory main river map is a 1:10,000 scale spatial (polyline) dataset that defines statutory watercourses designated by the Environment Agency as main rivers. The data is for England only. 'Main rivers' are usually larger streams and rivers, but some of them are small watercourses of significance. They include certain structures that control or regulate the flow of water in, into or out of the channel. We have permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers. We have powers to regulate the activities of others affecting rivers and their flood plains under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, the Water Resources Act 1991 and our land drainage byelaws. All other watercourses are 'ordinary watercourses'. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve. They also have powers to regulate works under the provisions of the Land Drainage Act 1991 and local byelaws. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2016. All rights reserved. © Crown copyright and database rights 2014 Ordnance Survey 100024198