Who is responsible for maintaining the watercourses running through my land?

The primary responsibility for the maintenance of any watercourse rests with the owner of that watercourse. This will USUALLY be the owner of the land adjoining that watercourse. Where a channel is marked as an internal drainage board’s drain, that board’s byelaws apply to it and the board will often undertake required drainage works. The Land Drainage Act 1991, under which the boards operate, however, enables them BUT DOES NOT REQUIRE THEM to carry out drainage works.