Article 19 Temporary closure of principal rivers
Subject to the provisions of this article, the Agency may temporarily prohibit, restrict or regulate the navigation and use of any part of the principal rivers for any of the following purposes—
to facilitate the construction, maintenance or alteration of any work in or adjoining the principal rivers;
to facilitate the holding of any race or regatta or of any other event or function in connection with the navigation and use of the principal rivers;
to conserve the natural beauty of the principal rivers and their flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest; and
to further the safety of those navigating and using the principal rivers.
The Agency shall not prohibit the navigation or use of any part of the principal rivers for a purpose specified in paragraph (1)(b) for more than one half-hour in any period of one hour or for more than eight periods each of one half-hour in any period of twenty-four hours.
Before exercising its powers under paragraph (1)(a) or (b) the Agency shall, except in an emergency, give notice of the proposal to exercise the powers by advertisement in one or more local newspapers circulating in the area concerned.
The notice shall be published not less than 28 days before the powers are to be exercised and shall state the extent to which, the period during which and the purpose for which, the navigation and use of the principal rivers is to be prohibited, restricted or regulated.
A copy of the notice shall be conspicuously displayed in any place or places on or adjacent to the part of the principal rivers to which it relates that the Agency considers appropriate for bringing its contents to the notice of persons navigating and using that part of the principal rivers.
The Agency shall not exercise the powers of this article so as to prevent any riparian owner from having access to his land by water or so as unreasonably to prevent Dŵr Cymru from having access by water to any of its property.
The Agency shall not exercise its powers under paragraph (1)(c) so as to create a serious obstruction to the navigation or use of the principal rivers.
The Agency may exercise the powers of this article in relation to all classes of vessel navigating and using the principal rivers, or in relation to such class of vessel as it thinks fit.