Rivers and streams

Overview

Rivers and streams are dynamic landscape features. They move across floodplains by:

• depositing sediment (accretion)
• undercutting and eroding banks (erosion)

Erosion and accretion are natural processes and usually occur slowly over time. As a river moves, so do its natural boundaries. Flooding may cause sudden changes in a river or stream course. But the location of ownership boundaries does not change.

The Crown generally owns the beds and shores of rivers and streams. For information on exceptions, see:

• Water boundaries