Collection

Abstraction licensing strategies (CAMS process)

Find out how much water is available in your area by viewing Environment Agency abstraction licensing strategies.

• From: Environment Agency
• Published: 30 April 2014
• Last updated: 3 May 2023 — See all updates

The Environment Agency is responsible for managing water resources in England. We need to make sure there is:

• enough water for people - public water supply, industry and agriculture
• a healthy environment

The Environment Agency controls how much water is taken with a permitting system. The Environment Agency regulate existing licences and grant new ones. To do this they use:

• the catchment abstraction management strategy (CAMS) process
• abstraction licensing strategies

The publication ‘managing water abstraction’ sets out the approach and regulatory framework within which we will manage water resources.

You need a water abstraction licence from the Environment Agency to remove more than 20 cubic metres of water a day from a watercourse or underground water reserve in England.

The strategies below are grouped by Environment Agency areas. See a map showing the areas.

North East (map area 1)

• Northumberland rivers abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Tees abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Till and Tweed abstraction licensing strategy
  • 24 June 2022
  • Policy paper
• Till abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Tyne abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 March 2018
  • Policy paper
• Wear abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 March 2018
  • Policy paper

Cumbria and Lancashire (map area 2)

• Alt Crossens abstraction licensing strategy
  • 30 June 2022
  • Policy paper
• Derwent and West Cumbria abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Eden and Esk abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Lune and Wyre abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Ribble, Douglas and Crossens abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• South Cumbria abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 February 2013
  • Policy paper

Yorkshire (map area 3)

• Aire and Calder abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Derwent abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Don and Rother abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Esk and Coast abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Hull and East Riding abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Wharfe and Lower Ouse abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper

Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire (map area 4)

• Lower Mersey and Alt abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Northern Manchester abstraction licensing strategy
  • 15 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Upper Mersey abstraction licensing strategy
  • 28 February 2013
  • Policy paper
• Weaver and Dane abstraction licensing strategy
  • 25 November 2020
  • Policy paper

Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (map area 5)

• Grimsby, Ancholme and Louth abstraction licensing strategy
  • 23 March 2020
  • Policy paper
• Holbeach Marsh abstraction licensing strategy
  • 23 March 2020
  • Policy paper
• Nene abstraction licensing strategy
  • 7 April 2021
  • Policy paper
• Steeping, Great Eau and Long Eau abstraction licensing strategy
  • 23 March 2020
  • Policy paper
• Welland abstraction licensing strategy
  • 7 April 2021
  • Policy paper
• Witham abstraction licensing strategy (ALS)
  • 17 December 2020
  • Policy paper

East Midlands (map area 6)

• Derbyshire Derwent abstraction licensing strategy
  • 31 January 2020
  • Policy paper
• Idle and Torne abstraction licensing strategy (ALS)
  • 18 December 2020
  • Policy paper
• Lower Trent and Erewash abstraction licensing strategy
  • 15 September 2020
  • Policy paper
• Soar abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 September 2020
  • Policy paper

West Midlands (map area 7)

• Dove abstraction licensing strategy
  • 25 February 2021
  • Policy paper
• Severn Corridor abstraction licensing strategy
  • 3 April 2020
  • Policy paper
• Severn Vale abstraction licensing strategy
  • 11 August 2022
  • Policy paper
• Shropshire Middle Severn abstraction licensing strategy
  • 14 July 2021
  • Policy paper
• Staffordshire Trent Valley abstraction licensing strategy
  • 2 July 2021
  • Policy paper
• Tame, Anker and Mease abstraction licensing strategy
  • 23 June 2022
  • Policy paper
• Teme abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 April 2023
  • Policy paper
• Warwickshire Avon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 April 2023
  • Policy paper
• Worcestershire middle Severn abstraction licensing strategy
  • 7 July 2022
  • Policy paper
• Wye abstraction licensing strategy
  • 27 January 2022
  • Policy paper

Wessex (map area 8)

• Bristol Avon and North Somerset abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Policy paper
• Dorset abstraction licensing strategy
  • 6 April 2020
  • Policy paper
• Hampshire Avon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 3 March 2020
  • Policy paper
• South and West Somerset abstraction licensing strategy
  • 30 June 2022
  • Policy paper

Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (map area 9)

• East Devon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 23 June 2022
  • Policy paper
• North Cornwall, Seaton and Fowey abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Policy paper
• North Devon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Policy paper
• South Devon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Policy paper
• Tamar abstraction licensing strategy
  • 21 October 2024
  • Policy paper
• West Cornwall and Fal abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Policy paper

East Anglia (map area 10)

• Broadland abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper
• Cam and Ely Ouse abstraction licensing strategy (ALS)
  • 22 December 2020
  • Policy paper
• East Suffolk abstraction licensing strategy (ALS)
  • 21 December 2020
  • Policy paper
• Essex abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper
• North Norfolk abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper
• North west Norfolk abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper
• Old Bedford including Middle Level abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper
• Upper Ouse and Bedford Ouse abstraction licensing strategy
  • 9 August 2017
  • Policy paper

Thames (map area 11)

• Cherwell, Thame and Wye abstraction licensing strategy
  • 17 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Cotswolds abstraction licensing strategy
  • 17 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Kennet and Vale of White Horse abstraction licensing strategy
  • 17 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Loddon abstraction licensing strategy
  • 17 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Thames catchment abstraction licensing strategy
  • 6 December 2019
  • Policy paper
• Wey abstraction licensing strategy
  • 17 April 2019
  • Policy paper

Hertfordshire and North London (map area 12)

• Colne abstraction licensing strategy
  • 3 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Roding, Beam, Ingrebourne and Mardyke abstraction licensing strategy
  • 3 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Upper Lee abstraction licensing strategy
  • 3 April 2019
  • Policy paper

Kent, South London and East Sussex (map area 13)

• Darent and Cray abstraction licensing strategy
  • 5 March 2013
  • Policy paper
• London abstraction licensing strategy
  • 11 February 2020
  • Policy paper
• Medway abstraction licensing strategy
  • 11 April 2013
  • Policy paper
• Mole abstraction licensing strategy
  • 5 March 2013
  • Policy paper
• North Kent and Swale abstraction licensing strategy
  • 5 March 2013
  • Policy paper
• Rother abstraction licensing strategy
  • 5 March 2013
  • Policy paper
• Stour abstraction licensing strategy
  • 5 March 2013
  • Policy paper

Solent and South Downs (map area 14)

• Adur and Ouse abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Arun and Western Streams abstraction licensing strategy
  • 22 June 2022
  • Policy paper
• Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• East Hampshire abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Isle of Wight abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• New Forest abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper
• Test and Itchen abstraction licensing strategy
  • 8 April 2019
  • Policy paper

Published 30 April 2014
Last updated 3 May 2023 + show all updates

1. 3 May 2023

   Added Teme ALS and Warwickshire Avon ALS to the West Midlands collection, April 2023

2. 12 July 2022

   Added to the collection page: 1) Till and Tweed abstraction licensing strategy (ALS). 2) Arun and Western Streams ALS. 3) Alt Crossens ALS. 4) South and West Somerset ALS. 5) East Devon ALS.

3. 6 January 2021

   Added links to new abstraction licensing stratagies for: Witham, Idle and Torne, East Suffolk, Cam and Ely Ouse.

4. 17 January 2018

   Updated Environment Agency area names and map areas.

5. 15 May 2014

   Re-titled linked publications to give consistent format.

6. 30 April 2014

   First published.