Engineering in the water environment

What you must do

When working in or near the water environment you must have the appropriate authorisation to carry out the activity and you must ensure that you know and follow the rules of the authorisation.

In Scotland, Certain engineering works can be carried without contacting SEPA. However, you must comply with the General Binding Rules (GBRs) and you must ensure you do not cause pollution.

Removing sediments from watercourses

In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA if you’re removing sediments from within:

  • a field drain or completely man-made ditch
  • a small ditch that has been straightened in the past and has an average width of less than 1 metre measured at the bed 
  • 10 metres upstream of a weir
  • 10 metres upstream or downstream of a closed culvert 
  • 5 metres of an outfall or intake 

For all activities listed above, you will need to comply with the relevant GBRs.

For any other dredging works in rivers, burns and lochs, you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA Engineering

 

Removal of fallen trees, litter, debris and vegetation from watercourses

In Scotland, the removal of fallen trees, litter, debris and vegetation in or near watercourses can be carried out without contacting SEPA. However, vegetation removal from banks should be done in a way that minimises erosion.

Maintenance and repair of existing manmade structures

In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA when maintaining or repairing existing manmade structure, if you are:

  • using the same or equivalent type of materials it was constructed from, and
  • not changing the size shape or length of the structure

For any other works to existing banks, embankments or floodwalls you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA Engineering

 

Reinforcing or re-profiling of a new section of river bank

In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA for the following works:

  • Green bank reinforcement or re-profiling, where the length does not exceed 10m or channel width (whichever is greater) – Comply with GBR on Bank work up to one channel width or 10 metres. See Bank works up to one channel width or 10 metres
  • The placement of trees or parts of trees in a watercourse to protect eroding banks – Comply with GBR on Bank works using trees or parts of trees. See Bank works using trees or parts of trees

For any other works involving reinforcing or re-profiling river banks you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA Engineering

Bridges and other types of crossing structures

In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA for the following works:

For all other works involving bridges and other crossing structures you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA Engineering

Placing or reinforcing structures in watercourses

In Scotland, placing boulders in watercourses can be carried out without contacting SEPA if the boulder placements occupy less than 10% of the channel width – Comply with GBR on Instream structures or boulder placement in a watercourse less than or equal to 10% bed width. See Instream structures or boulder placement in a watercourse less than or equal to 10% bed width

You must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations for:

  • all other works involving placing or reinforcing structures in watercourses
  • the removal of structures in watercourse

See SEPA Engineering

Channel modifications

Channel modification works include:

  • Diversions
  • Realignment
  • Flood by-pass channels
  • Culverting

In Scotland all works involving channel modification will require authorisation from SEPA - See SEPA Engineering

Further Information

In this guide