As we head into winter, now is the perfect time to tidy up outdoor spaces to prepare for wet weather – especially all the watercourses that help to keep excess rainwater off our roads.
Last winter we had more rain than had been recorded for over 100 years, which put so much pressure on the network of watercourses that help to prevent flooding in our county.
As well as providing havens for wildlife, ditches, streams, culverts, brooks and rivers all have an important role to play during wet weather. When the ground becomes saturated with rain, watercourses carry the excess water that could otherwise flood footpaths, pavements and roads.
Many watercourses occur naturally in the landscape, but some have been constructed specifically to drain excess water off fields and gardens to prevent the flooding of buildings and highways. Sometimes they stay dry for much of the year so the way they’re interconnected can only be seen when water flows in them after rain. A blocked ditch, for example, can cause water to back up so that another ditch further upstream overflows to flood a road.
That’s why, with winter coming, it’s so important to make sure all watercourses are clear of any debris that’s collected in them during the year.
The term used to describe someone who is responsible for a watercourse is a riparian owner. You might have come across it if you’ve ever bought or leased a property that contains or is bordered by one or more watercourses. Riparian ownership comes with legal obligations to make sure watercourses are well maintained, which can sometimes be shared between neighbours.
We have a guide to riparian ownership on our website.
The council makes sure all the watercourses we are responsible for can flow freely but cannot access any on private land. We only have the responsibility to maintain 10% of the county’s ditches, which is only a small proportion of the many miles of watercourses in West Sussex.
To get us ready for the changing weather, and to help keep our road network open, we’re making sure our highways are winter-ready with a maintenance programme underway and salt grit being delivered to fill salt boxes around the county.
At this time of the year, everyone in the county relies on riparian owners to make sure the watercourses they are responsible for are clear of debris and flowing.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a garden or land with a brook, stream, ditch, culvert or any other kind of watercourse running through, underneath or beside it, please make sure it can flow freely.
Just taking a few minutes every few weeks to clear away fallen leaves and other debris can significantly benefit our whole community - not just by reducing the risk of flooding after heavy rain, but by creating great habitats for wildlife too.
