Highway boundaries

If you live on, lease or own land next to a watercourse you have a responsibility to maintain it (unless evidence exists that proves otherwise). This means you are the riparian owner.

Most watercourses that run alongside publicly maintainable highway are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner, regardless of whether your title plan encompasses the watercourse.

The highway authority has the right to discharge highway water into these watercourses, and in doing so does not take on any maintenance responsibilities for the watercourse. However, some watercourses, such as those which have been piped by the highway authority become the responsibility of the highway authority. 

 See our Living next to a watercourse page for more information on riparian ownership.