| Rivers do not look after themselves. The Kennet is managed by a number of individuals and organisations, each with specific roles, all with different motives, but hopefully all with the needs of the River firmly at the forefront of their work. Riparian owners
Riparian owners are people who own parts of the river because it flows through their land or because they have bought or rented the fishing rights to a stretch of water.
In the past it has been the Fishing Interests, represented by the Riparian Owners, who have initiated action to control pollution. Left alone, riverbanks become overgrown with shrubs and trees, which shade the water. River life, in terms of weed growth and invertebrate life, and consequently the fish life that depends upon this, is reduced, and can cease altogether. Good riparian owners keep the riverbanks clear of overgrowth. In well-managed farmed land, livestock are kept clear of the riverbanks to prevent 'poaching' by cattle (treading down the unfenced banks to get water). Poaching leads to widening and hence shallowing and loss of weed growth. Riparian owners are also responsible for keeping the river clear of rubbish and blockages. Water keepers
Water keepers, employed and paid for by the Fishing Interests are the front line of the battle for healthy rivers. They keep the banks clear of overgrowth, and the channel clear of obstruction by fallen trees. They repair banks eroded by flooding. They live and work on and in the water, and as their livelihood is at stake, are immediately aware of changes in the river environment which need to be reported to the Environment Agency, such as the earliest signs of pollution, declining flows, lack of weed growth, absence or decline of other riverine life such as wildfowl and water voles. Thames Water
Thames Water is the world's third largest water company and is part of the RWE multi-utility group. They supply 70 million customers with fresh drinking water and sanitation around the world, including about 13 million in London and the Thames Valley. In recognition of the size and scope of their operations, caring for the environment is one of their four guiding principles. Thames Water has direct interests in the River Kennet including groundwater abstractions and discharge of treated effluent from local sewage treatment works. The Upper Kennet Rehabilitation Project is a key example of Thames Water’s 'continuing commitment to achieve environmental improvements'. The Environment Agency
The Environment Agency for England and Wales (EA) is Europe's largest environmental regulator and provides a comprehensive approach to the protection and management of the environment. Many of the Environment Agency’s responsibilities are relevant to the health of the River Kennet, including water resource management, flood risk management, consenting of discharges, pollution prevention advice and fisheries management. Underpinning this work is the EA’s statutory conservation duty to protect and enhance the water environment for flora and fauna. The Agency works with a range of partners to restore the river, for example, through habitat enhancement schemes with fishery managers, Thames Water, English Nature and ARK, and through agricultural land-use projects with FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group). English Nature | 
