Manx Watercouse Management Code

The Manx Watercourse Management Code is a free information leaflet, which summarises the rights and responsibilities of riparian landowners, and provides a code of good practice and contact details for further advice and information. Copies can be obtained from DAFF’s offices at Knockaloe and at Rose House, Douglas or by request from Karen Galtress: Tel. 651544, email river.management@gov.im Particular attention should be paid to the following points:

• Consent must be sought from DoT Land Drainage Section (Tel. 693512) for any works that may affect a watercourse (whether or not designated as a ‘Main River’), e.g. riverbank engineering/protection; installation of bridges and pipes.
• Consent must be sought from DoT Land Drainage Section before constructing anything or planting trees/shrubs within 30’ either side of a watercourse designated a ‘Main River’ under the Land Drainage Act 1934. Main rivers are those watercourses designated as such under the Land Drainage Act 1934. Click on the picture on the right to see a larger map:
• For streams with a stony substrate, works likely to disturb the channel or destabilise banks should be avoided from October to June in order to minimise impact on trout and salmon.
• Disturbance of bankside vegetation, including reeds or bushes, should be avoided during the bird nesting season (March to August inclusive).
• Advice should be sought from DAFF at Knockaloe (Tel. 842335) if the invasive plants Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed or Himalayan balsam are found on or near river banks. Factsheets on Japanese knotweed and Injurious Plants (inc. giant hogweed) can be downloaded from here. The UK Environment Agency also publishes a booklet Guidance for the control of non-native weeds in or near fresh water, which includes Himalayan balsam, downloadable from their publications page.

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