Licence

Impound water (England)

If you impound water, or plan to, you may need to apply for an impounding licence.

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An impoundment is a structure within inland waters that can permanently or temporarily change the water level or flow.

You must have an impounding licence before you start work on building a new impoundment structure, even in an emergency. But some activities are exempt.

If an existing structure does not currently have an impounding licence, you must get one before you start work to alter or remove the structure.