Act on Watercourses (LBK no. 1217 of 2019).

This Act applies to the use of water which can have the function of drainage, particularly surface water and waste-water, including ditches, canals, pipelines and drains, and lakes, ponds and other similar inland waters. Watercourses are classified as private and public and private landowners are allowed to lower the groundwater level on their property, in order to ensure proper drainage to existing streams. Maintenance of private and public watercourses shall be regulated by the Minister of Environment, after consultating with KL (Local Land Municipality). Public watercourses not meeting satisfactory results, may be improved by creating artificial banks, by placement of large rocks and logs, by establishing current convergers and spawning grounds.
The Act consists of 17 Chapters: Purpose (1); About the general use of watercourse (2); Watercourses authority (3); Classification of watercourses and installations (4); Regulations for public watercourses (5); Adjustment of watercourses and installation of new watercourses (6); Watercourse maintenance (7); Watercourse restoration (8); Pumping installations with necessary facilities for de-watering and installation of necessary facilities for the intake, pumping and bypass of water for watering (9); Bridges, dam construction, rivers (10); Supervision and monitoring (11); Environmental damage (11a); Miscellaneous provisions (12); Expropriation and compensation (13); Watercourse authorities' commitment to economic issues (14); Decisions on watercourse-related cases (15); Appeals (16); Penalties and entry into force (17).