Main river map

The main river map shows which rivers in England are designated as ‘main rivers’. Other rivers are called ‘ordinary watercourses’.

The main river map also shows where the Environment Agency intends to make changes. These are highlighted as ‘additions’ and ‘deletions’.

Main rivers are usually larger rivers and streams. The Environment Agency carries out maintenance, improvement or construction work on main rivers to manage flood risk.

Lead local flood authorities, district councils and internal drainage boards carry out flood risk management work on ordinary watercourses.

View the main river map.

In England, the Environment Agency decides which watercourses are main rivers. It consults with other risk management authorities and the public before making these decisions. The main river map is then updated to reflect these changes.

A river’s designation may affect you if you:

• live by a river
• own land or property by a river
• need to carry out works in or near a river

Read guidance about the rights and responsibilities of riverside ownership.

Why we change the main river map

There are 2 reasons why the Environment Agency changes the main river map.

Designation changes

This is where the designation of the river changes to or from a main river. This means there is a change in who has legal power to carry out flood risk management work.

Factual changes

This is where the Environment Agency amends sections of the main river map to reflect changes in the environment or to correct inaccuracies. These changes only correct the line of the main river and do not change who has legal power to carry out flood risk management work.

Decision Notices

Following the public consultation for changes, the Environment Agency takes decisions on whether to transfer flood risk management activities for watercourses, either to a main river or to an ordinary watercourse.

The following list of designation de-mainment changes are part of the Rationalising the main river network programme.

The Direct Research Portfolio (DRP) addresses issues that could affect multiple sites, or Site Licence Companies, in areas of strategy, technology innovation and skills.

This document shows the DRP projects that are ongoing or were commissioned during Financial Year 2018 to 2019. Each project is aligned to an R&D topic in the NDA’s 5 year R&D plan.

The document shows the contractor, purchase order value, R&D driver and current status.

Where projects are complete, the final reports are available upon request.

This information is updated quarterly as new projects are awarded.

These projects are delivered through competed framework contracts awarded to a wide range of supply chain organisations, based on the following themes:

Lot A – University interactions

Scope: to ensure the right level of academic technical capability is available.

Lot B – Integrated waste management and site decommissioning and remediation

Scope:

Integrated Waste Management

Higher Activity Wastes (HAW)

• development and analysis of options for HAW management
• development of innovative technologies
• sponsoring R&D that enables the NDA to respond strategically to government policy and oversee Site Licence Companies’ HAW work

Lower Level Wastes, non-radioactive and hazardous waste

• sponsoring R&D that enables the NDA to respond strategically to government policy and oversee SLCs’ work
  on these wastes Site Decommissioning and Remediation
• technical underpinning for the NDA’s strategy on decommissioning, land quality and site end states

Lot C – Spent fuel and nuclear materials

Scope:

Sponsoring R&D that enables the NDA to set and monitor Site Licence Company delivery of our strategy on Magnox spent fuel, oxide spent fuel, exotic fuels and uranics

• ensuring skills in spent fuel management and plutonium handling are maintained over the longer term
• to support NDA development of options for managing the UK’s uranics inventory and stockpile of separated plutonium
• sponsoring R&D that enables the NDA to respond to government policy and oversee SLC activities on
  management of uranics and plutonium

Livelink ref: 23012904

An annual list of the Environment Agency’s initial objections to planning applications on the basis of flood risk and water quality. Many of these issues will be resolved before a final decision is made.

The list will help local authorities complete their annual monitoring reports which help measure the effectiveness of local planning. It will also help local authorities submit information on the Single Data List to government.

This report shows the Environment Agency’s performance as a consultee in the spatial planning system in England.

MARPOL Annex II Surveyors

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) Annex II, Regulation 16 requires the Government of each party within the convention to appoint or authorise surveyors for the purposes of exercising control procedures developed by the International Maritime Organisation. The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous or Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk) Regulations 1996 (Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 1996/3010, as amended by S.I. 1998/1153) implements Annex II of MARPOL and refers to MARPOL surveyors in Regulation 9(2).

Duties of a MARPOL Surveyor

A MARPOL Surveyor will only attend if required by a ship owner or his agent. The duties of a MARPOL Surveyor are briefly:

• To attend the completion of the unloading of all Category X substances and verify that the pre-wash has been conducted.

• To attend where the unloading of Category Y and Z substances cannot be carried out in accordance with the ship’s Procedures and Arrangements Manual.

• To attend vessels, such as “offshore supply vessels,” and verify that cargo tanks which have contained noxious liquid substances of pollution category X, Y or Z have been cleaned and the residues and washings have been put ashore to port waste reception facilities in accordance with the Procedures and Arrangements Manual.

• To exempt ships from the requirements of Regulation 13.4 of MARPOL ANNEX II, Exemption for a “pre-wash”, as required. If the pre-wash requirements cannot be met at the discharge port, but will be carried out at the next port, it is to confirmed in writing that a reception facility at the other port is available and is adequate for such purpose.

• To endorse each ship’s Cargo NLS Record Book accordingly.

• To provide prompt and accurate returns, using the returns form and including nil returns, every six months.

Surveyor Operations

When attending a vessel the MARPOL Surveyor should be supervised at all times by a responsible ships officer who is involved in cargo operations. The responsible ships officer should be present when any cargo sampling is carried out. He should be fully conversant with all aspects of the ship’s sampling system including the operational characteristics of the valves.

The responsible ships officer should be satisfied that the sampling equipment is compatible with the ship’s sampling points before starting any sampling.

The surveyor should only take samples from a designated sample point, as indicated by the ships officer. The sampling operations are to be conducted in a safe and efficient manner which will preclude any escape of cargo liquid or vapours to the atmosphere or the deck of the ship beyond that required by the sampling process. Any spillage is to be cleaned up immediately.

The Surveyor should not be left unattended whilst taking samples.

Fees for Undertaking MARPOL Surveyor Duties

MARPOL Surveyors may charge for their services. The amount of any charges should be fixed by agreement between the Ship’s Master and Surveyor.

Annual Registration of MARPOL Surveyors

MARPOL Surveyors must re-register with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency(MCA) every year in order for the Authorisation to remain valid. It is the responsibility of the employing company to make sure that details of all authorised MARPOL Surveyors are sent to the MCA in the period from 1st to 31st October of each year. Failure to do so will result in the removal of the company and associated Surveyors from the List of Authorised MARPOL Surveyors. Re-registration should be undertaken using the re-registration form.

Updating MARPOL Surveyors Information

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency should be informed, at the address given at the bottom of this note, of any changes to the MARPOL Surveyor List. This includes changes:

• to the primary contact,
• company address details or
• the addition or
• loss of MARPOL surveyors to the company listed.

Companies should not wait until the annual re-registration to inform the MCA of any changes.

MARPOL Surveyors must inform the Maritime and Coastguard Agency if they change employer as this requires a new authorisation to be issued. Changes of this kind may be charged at the current hourly rate. If you do not inform the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of any changes like this it will result in MARPOL Surveyor Authorisation becoming invalid.

Future Appointments

Any application for appointment as a MARPOL Surveyor should be made to the address shown at the bottom of this page. Upon receipt of an enquiry regarding an application for Authorisation the MCA will send costs and details of the information required.