Responsible Agencies/Authorities

There is no single organisation that oversees the management of all watercourses, or all forms of flooding. Different organisations and landowners have roles depending on the circumstances.

Main rivers are usually larger rivers and streams that have been legally designated as such. The Environment Agency carries out maintenance, improvement or construction work on main rivers to manage flood risk and has consenting and enforcement powers for the same purpose. The River Devon is classified as a main river.

Find our more about the Environment Agency at:

Ordinary watercourses are rivers and streams that are not designated as main rivers. Lead Local Flood Authorities have consenting and enforcement powers for ordinary watercourses unless the watercourse is within an internal drainage district managed by an internal Drainage Board (IDB). District councils, unitary authorities, and internal drainage boards can carry out flood risk management work on ordinary watercourses in their area. The Winter Beck is an ordinary watercourse and in Bottesford is managed by Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board.

Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board is also responsible for the open sections of the Rundle, a drainage system that travels from east to west through the village.

Contact details for Trent Valley IDB can be found at:

Canals are artificial waterways that were engineered for the purpose of transport or drainage. The Canal & River Trust is a charity responsible for for looking after over 2,000 miles of canal including the Grantham Canal. Problems with the canal, such as maintenance of tow paths or blockages should be reported to the charity.

More information, including contact details, about the Canal & River Trust can be found at:

Water and sewerage companies are responsible for managing the risks of flooding from surface water, foul water or combined sewer systems. Public sewers are designed to protect properties from the risk of flooding in normal wet weather conditions. However, in extreme weather conditions, there is a risk that sewer systems can become overwhelmed and result in sewer flooding.

The Rundle, is a drainage system that travels from east to west through the village. Sections of the Rundle are piped (along the High Street to Long Hedge Lane) and this is also maintained by Severn Trent.

Flooding in the water network in our parish should be reported to Severn Trent, flooding can be reported 24 hours a day on 0800 7834444. For more details on how to contact Severn Trent visit

Leicestershire County Council (LCC) is responsible for keeping all roadside drains (also known as gullies), clean and fully operational and a programme of cyclical gulley cleansing runs throughout the year.

To report a blocked drain or gully to LCC go to:

Leicestershire County Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), responsible for the coordination and management of flood risk across the county of Leicestershire. The LLFA is responsible for investigating, mitigating and planning for flooding that does not come from statutory main rivers or reservoirs. The LLFA is responsible for ensuring co-operation between relevant agencies and authorities.

More information about Leicestershire County Councils work as LLFA, including emergency flood advice, how to report a flood or blocked gully/drain, flood preparedness and recovery, and contact details at:

You will normally own any stretch of watercourse that runs on or underneath your land and own part of any watercourse that runs along the boundary of your land, up to its centre although you do not actually own the water. This is called riparian ownership.

A number of responsibilities come with riparian ownership such as, removing blockages to ensure water flows naturally and reporting incidents such as pollution or damage to banks.

For more information on the rules and responsibilities associated with owning a watercourse visit: