The following is a list of 4 character codes used to identify each waterway. These codes are the ones I use in my waterways database to provide a waterway identity. If you have need of a such a system for your own purposes you are free to use these codes. If you would like to see this information arranged alphabetically by waterway code see the Waterway Codes order list.
| Waterway Name | Code |
| Aberdare Canal | ABRD |
| Aberdeenshire Canal | ABDS |
| Aike Beck or Lockington Navigation | AIKE |
| Aire & Calder Dewsbury Old Cut Section | ACDO |
| Aire & Calder Main Line | ACML |
| Aire & Calder Navigation - Selby Section | ACSS |
| Aire & Calder Navigation - Wakefield Section | ACWS |
| Aire & Dun Canal project. | ADCP |
| Aire and Calder Navigation and River Aire | A&CN |
| Alford Canal project | ALCP |
| Ancholme - Witham Canal project | AWCP |
| Andover Canal | ANDV |
| Andover Canal to Basingstoke Canal project | ANBS |
| Anglesey Branch | BCAG |
| Annandale Canal project | ANCP |
| Anson Branch (BCN) | BCAB |
| Arbroath - Forfar Canal project | AFCP |
| Arun Navigation | ARNN |
| Ashburton Canal Project | ABCP |
| Ashby de la Zouch Canal | ADLZ |
| Ashton Canal | ASHT |
| Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals | APFM |
| Aylesbury - Abingdon Canal project | AACP |
| Aylsham Navigation | AYLS |
| Barnsley Canal | BRNS |
| Basingstoke - Itchen Canal project | BICP |
| Basingstoke Canal | BASC |
| Bath & Bristol Canal project | BBCP |
| Baybridge Canal | BYBR |
| BCN Main Line | BCML |
| Beaulieu River | BEAU |
| Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway | B&MK |
| Bedford - Grand Junction Canal project | BGJC |
| Bell Water Drain | WNBW |
| Beverley Beck | BEVB |
| Billericay Canal Project | BLCP |
| Birmingham & Liverpool Junction Canal | B&LJ |
| Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal | B&WJ |
| Birmingham and Fazeley Canal | BCBF |
| Birmingham Canal Navigations | BCN |
| Bo'ness Canal | BNSS |
| Bradford Canal | BRAD |
| Braunton Canal and River Taw schemes | BCRT |
| Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal | B&AC |
| Bridgewater Canal | BRDG |
| Bridgwater and Taunton Canal | BWTC |
| Bristol & Taunton Canal | B&TC |
| Bristol & Western Canal project | B&WC |
| Bristol - Cirencester canal project | BCCP |
| Bristol - Salisbury canal projects | BSCP |
| Bristol - Thames Head Canal project | BTHC |
| Bristol Junction Canal project | BJCP |
| Brown's Canal | BRWN |
| Bude Canal | BUDE |
| Burry and Loughor Rivers | B&LR |
| Burwell Lode | BURL |
| Bury & Sladen Canal project | B&SC |
| Caistor Canal | CSTC |
| Calder and Hebble Navigation | C&HN |
| Caldon Branch - Trent and Mersey Canal | CLDN |
| Caledonian Canal | CALD |
| Campbeltown Canal | CMPT |
| Candle Dyke to Hickling Broad | NBCD |
| Cann Quarry Canal | CNQC |
| Cannock Extension Canal (BCN) | BCCE |
| Car Dyke | CARD |
| Carlisle Canal | CRLS |
| Cassington Cut | CSSC |
| Castle Dyke | WNCD |
| Cemlyn Canal | CMLN |
| Central Junction Canal project | CJCP |
| Central Union Canal project | CUCP |
| Chard Canal | CHRD |
| Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation | C&BN |
| Chester Canal | CHSR |
| Chesterfield Canal | CHST |
| Chichester Canal | CHCH |
| Cinderford Canal | CNDR |
| Cod Beck | CODB |
| Commercial Canal project | CMCP |
| Coombe Hill Canal | CMBH |
| Cottingham & Hull Canal project | CHCP |
| Counter Wash Drain (Great Ouse) | GOCW |
| Coventry Canal | CVNT |
| Coventry Canal (Detached Portion) | CVDP |
| Cowbridge Drain | WNCB |
| Crinan Canal | CRNN |
| Cromford Canal | CRMF |
| Croydon Canal | CRYD |
| Cumberland Canal Project | CBCP |
| Cyfarthfa Canal | CYFR |
| Dartford & Crayford Navigation | D&CN |
| Daw End Branch Canal (BCN) | BCDE |
| Dearne and Dove Canal | D&D |
| Derby Canal | DRBY |
| Dick Brook | DCKB |
| Digbeth Branch Canal | BCDB |
| Dingwall Canal | DNGW |
| Doctor's Canal | DCTR |
| Donnington Wood Canal | DNNW |
| Dorset & Somerset Canal | D&SC |
| Douglas Navigation | DGLS |
| Driffield Navigation | DRFF |
| Droitwich Canal | DRTW |
| Droitwich Junction Canal | DRJC |
| Dudley Canal Line No 1 | BCD1 |
| Dudley Canal Line No 2 | BCD2 |
| Duke's Cut | DCUT |
| Durham Canal project | DRCP |
| Eardington Forges Canal | ERDG |
| Earl of Ashburnham's Canal | EOAC |
| East Fen Catchwater Drain | WNEC |
| Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal | E&GU |
| Ellesmere & Chester Canal | E&CC |
| Ellesmere Canal | ELLS |
| Emmet's Canal | EMMT |
| English & Bristol Channel canal schemes | EBCS |
| English & Bristol Channels Junction Canal project | EBCJ |
| English & Bristol Channels Ship Canal | E&BC |
| Erewash Canal | ERWS |
| Exeter & Crediton Navigation | E&CN |
| Exeter Ship Canal | EXSC |
| Fletcher's Canal | FLTC |
| Flint Coal Canal | FLNT |
| Forth & Cart Canal | F&CR |
| Forth & Clyde Canal | F&CC |
| Forth & Clyde Canal - Glasgow Branch | FCCG |
| Fossdyke Canal | FSDY |
| Frith Bank Drain | WNFB |
| Galton's Canal | GLTN |
| General Warde's (Dafen) Canal | GWDC |
| General Warde's (Yspitty) Canal | GWYC |
| Glamorganshire Canal | GLMG |
| Glan-Y-Wern Canal | GLNY |
| Glasgow, Paisley & Johnstone Canal | GP&J |
| Glastonbury Canal | GLST |
| Glenkens Canal | GLNK |
| Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal | G&SS |
| Gower Branch Canal (BCN) | BCGB |
| Grand Junction - Old Stratford & Buckingham Branch | GDJO |
| Grand Junction Canal | GDJC |
| Grand Surrey Canal | GRSC |
| Grand Surrey Dock, Canal & Junction Railway project | GSDC |
| Grand Union Aylesbury Branch | GUAB |
| Grand Union Canal | GU |
| Grand Union Erewash Canal | GUEC |
| Grand Union Leicester Section | GULS |
| Grand Union Main Line | GUML |
| Grand Union Market Harborough Branch | GUMH |
| Grand Union Northampton Branch | GUNB |
| Grand Union Paddington Branch | GUPB |
| Grand Union Regents Canal | GURC |
| Grand Union Rickmansworth Branch | GURB |
| Grand Union Slough Branch | GUSB |
| Grand Union Welford Branch | GUWL |
| Grand Union Wendover Branch | GUWB |
| Grand Western Canal | GWC |
| Grantham Canal | GRNT |
| Greasbrough (Park Gate) Canal | GPGC |
| Great Ouse Relief Channel | GORC |
| Grosvenor Canal | GRSV |
| Gwauncaegurwen Canal | GWNC |
| Hackney Canal | HCKN |
| Haddiscoe (or New) Cut - Norfolk & Suffolk Broads | NBHC |
| Hall Green Branch - Trent and Mersey Canal | HGB |
| Hants & Berks Junction Canal project | HBJC |
| Hardley Dyke (River Yare) | NBHD |
| Haslingden Canal | HSLN |
| Helston Canal project | HLCP |
| Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal | H&GC |
| Hertford Union Canal (Grand Union) | GUHU |
| High Peak Junction Canal project | HPJC |
| Higher Avon Navigation | HAVN |
| Hobhole Drain | WNHB |
| Hopkin's Canal | HPKN |
| Horncastle Canal | HRNC |
| Howbridge Drain | WNHW |
| Huddersfield Broad Canal | HUBC |
| Huddersfield Narrow Canal | HUNC |
| Hulme Lock Branch (Bridgewater Canal) | BGHL |
| Invararnan Canal | INVR |
| Ipswich & Stowmarket Navigation | I&SN |
| Isle of Dogs Canal | IODC |
| Ivelchester & Langport Navigation | I&LN |
| Junction Drain | WNJN |
| Kennet and Avon Canal | K&A |
| Kensington Canal | KNSN |
| Kent & Sussex Junction Canal project | KSJC |
| Ketley Canal | KTLY |
| Keyingham Navigable Drains project | KMND |
| Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal | K&LC |
| Kilbagie Canal | KLBG |
| Kilgetty Canal | KLGT |
| Knarsborough Canal Schemes | KNRS |
| Kyme Eau - Sleaford Canal | KESC |
| Kymer's Canal | KYMR |
| Lakenheath Lode (Great Ouse) | GOLL |
| Lancaster - Morecambe Ship Canal project | LMSC |
| Lancaster Canal | LANC |
| Lancaster Canal - Glasson Dock Branch | LNGD |
| Langley Dyke (River Yare) | NBLD |
| Lark - Orwell Canal project | LOCP |
| Lechlade - Abingdon Canal project | LACP |
| Leeds & Liverpool - Leigh Branch | LLLB |
| Leeds & Liverpool - Rufford Branch | LLRB |
| Leeds & Liverpool - Springs Branch | LLSB |
| Leeds and Liverpool Canal | L&L |
| Leek Branch - Trent and Mersey Canal | LEEK |
| Leicester Navigation | LCSN |
| Leicestershire & Northampton Union Canal | L&NU |
| Leominster Canal | LMNS |
| Leven Canal | LVNC |
| Liskeard & Looe Union Canal | L&LU |
| Little Ouse or Brandon River | LO |
| Little Punchard Gill Boat Level | LPGB |
| Liverpool Canal project | LVCP |
| Llandeilo & Llandovery Canal projects | LLCP |
| Llansamlet (Smith's) Canal | LLNS |
| Llechryd Canal | LLCH |
| London & Birmingham Junction Canal project | LBJC |
| London & Cambridge Junction Canal | L&CJ |
| London & Southampton Ports Junction Canal project | LSPJ |
| London & Western Canal project | LWCP |
| London - Portsmouth Canal project | LPCP |
| London Canal Project | LNDN |
| London to Portsmouth Ship Canal schemes | LPSC |
| Loughborough Navigation | LGHB |
| Louth Navigation | LTH |
| Lower Avon Navigation | LAVN |
| Lush's Drain | WNLS |
| Lydney Canal | LYDN |
| Macclesfield Canal | MACC |
| Mackworth's Canal | MCKW |
| Manchester & Dee Ship Canal project | MDSC |
| Manchester & Salford Junction Canal | M&SJ |
| Manchester Ship Canal | MSC |
| Manchester Ship Canal - River Irwell Upper Reach | MSIR |
| Manchester Ship Canal - Walton Lock Branch | MSWL |
| Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal | MB&B |
| Mardyke Canal | MRDK |
| Market Weighton Canal | MWC |
| Martham Broad to West Somerton | NBMB |
| Maud Foster Drain | WNMF |
| Meadow Dyke to Waxham Bridge | NBMD |
| Medlam Drain | WNMD |
| Melton Mowbray Navigation | MMYN |
| Mersey & Irwell Navigation | M&IN |
| Middle Level - Bevill's Leam | MLBL |
| Middle Level - Black Ham Drain | MLBH |
| Middle Level - Forty Foot River | MLFF |
| Middle Level - King's Dyke | MLKD |
| Middle Level - New Dyke | MLND |
| Middle Level - Old River Nene | MLON |
| Middle Level - Popham's Eau | MLPE |
| Middle Level - Ramsey High Lode | MLRH |
| Middle Level - Sixteen Foot River | MLSF |
| Middle Level - Twenty Foot River | MLTF |
| Middle Level - Well Creek | MLWC |
| Middle Level - Whittlesey Dyke | MLWD |
| Middle Level Drain | MLD |
| Middle Level Navigation | ML |
| Middlesbrough - Redcar Ship Canal Project | MRSC |
| Millwall Canal | MLLW |
| Monkey Island - Isleworth canal project | MIIC |
| Monkland Canal | MNKL |
| Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal | M&B |
| Monmouthshire Canal | MNMT |
| Montgomeryshire Canal | MNTG |
| Morris's Canal | MRRS |
| Muirkirk Canal | MRKR |
| Mundon or White House Farm Canal | MNDN |
| Neath and Tennant Canals | N&TC |
| Neath Canal | NTHC |
| Nent Force Level | NNTF |
| Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal | BCNT |
| New Bolingbroke Drain | WNNB |
| Newcastle & Hexham Canal project | NHCP |
| Newcastle - Carlisle - Maryport Canal schemes | NCMC |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme Canal | NULC |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme Junction Canal | NULJ |
| Newdigate Canals | NWDG |
| Newham Drain | WNNW |
| Newport Pagnell Canal | NWPR |
| Norfolk and Suffolk Broads | NB |
| North Eastern Junction Canal project | NEJC |
| North Walsham and Dilham Canal | NWDC |
| North Wilts Canal | NWLT |
| Nottingham Canal | NOTC |
| Nutbrook Canal | NTBR |
| Oakham Canal | OKHM |
| Old Bedford River | GOOB |
| Old Grand Union Canal | OGUC |
| Old Main Line (BCN) | BCOM |
| Old River Lee | ORL |
| Old West River (Great Ouse) | GOOW |
| Oulton Broad and Dyke | NBOB |
| Oxford Canal | OXFD |
| Oxford Canal (Northern Section) | OXFN |
| Oxford Canal (Southern Section) | OXFS |
| Padstow - Lostwithiel Scheme | PLSC |
| Par Canal | PARC |
| Parnall's Canal | PRNL |
| Parrott's Canal | PRRC |
| Peak Forest Canal | PEAK |
| Pembrey Canal | PMBR |
| Pen-clawdd Canal | PNCL |
| Pen-y-fan Canal | PNYF |
| Penrhiwtyn Canal | PNRH |
| Pensnett Canal | PNSN |
| Perth Canal projects | PRCP |
| Petworth Canal | PTWR |
| Pidcock's Canal | PDCC |
| Plas Kynaston Canal | PLSK |
| Pocklington Canal | PC |
| Polbrock Canal | PLBR |
| Portsmouth & Arundel Canal | P&AC |
| Portsmouth, Southampton & London Junction Canal | PSLJ |
| Preston Brook Branch (Bridgewater Canal) | BGPB |
| Preston Ship Canal Schemes | PSCS |
| Public Devonshire Canal Project | PDCP |
| Reach Lode | RCHL |
| Reading - Monkey Island Canal project | RMIC |
| Red Jacket Canal | RDJC |
| Retyn and East Wheal Rose scheme | REWR |
| Ribble Link | RBLK |
| Ripon Canal | RIPN |
| River Adur | ADUR |
| River Aire | AIRE |
| River Alde | ALDE |
| River Ancholme | ANCH |
| River Ant | ANT |
| River Arun | ARUN |
| River Avon (Bristol) | AVNB |
| River Avon (Hampshire) | AVNH |
| River Avon (Warwick) | AVNW |
| River Blyth | BLYT |
| River Brede | BRED |
| River Brue | BRUE |
| River Bure | BURE |
| River Cam | CAM |
| River Cart | CART |
| River Chet | CHET |
| River Colne | COLN |
| River Crouch | CRCH |
| River Dart | DART |
| River Deben | DEBN |
| River Dee | DEE |
| River Derwent | DRWT |
| River Derwent (Derbyshire) | DRWD |
| River Don | DON |
| River Don (Upper Section) | UDON |
| River Foss | FOSS |
| River Fowey | FOWY |
| River Frome | FROM |
| River Gipping | GRPP |
| River Glen | GLEN |
| River Great Ouse | GO |
| River Hamble | HAMB |
| River Hull | HULL |
| River Humber | HUMB |
| River Idle | IDLE |
| River Isle and Westport Canal | ISLE |
| River Itchen | ITCH |
| River Ivel | IVEL |
| River Lark (Great Ouse) | LARK |
| River Lee | LEE |
| River Lee - Bow Creek | LBC |
| River Lug | LUGR |
| River Medway | MEDW |
| River Mersey | MERS |
| River Nar | NAR |
| River Nene | NENE |
| River Nene Stanground Branch | NSGB |
| River Orwell | ORWL |
| River Ouse (Sussex) | OS |
| River Ouse (Yorkshire) | OY |
| River Parrett | PRRT |
| River Ribble | RBBL |
| River Roach | ROCH |
| River Roding | RODG |
| River Rother (Eastern) | ROTH |
| River Rother (Western) | RTHW |
| River Salwarpe | SLWR |
| River Severn | SEVN |
| River Stort | STRT |
| River Stour (Kent) | STRK |
| River Stour (Suffolk) | STRS |
| River Stour (Worcestershire) | STRW |
| River Swale | SWLR |
| River Tamar | TAMR |
| River Tees | TEES |
| River Tern | TERN |
| River Thames | THMS |
| River Thurne | THRN |
| River Tone | TONE |
| River Trent | TRNT |
| River Tyne | TYNE |
| River Ure | URE |
| River Wansbeck | WNSB |
| River Waveney | WAVN |
| River Wear | WEAR |
| River Weaver | WEAV |
| River Weaver - Old Navigation Line | WVON |
| River Welland | WLLN |
| River Wey | WEY |
| River Wharfe | WHRF |
| River Wissey | GORW |
| River Witham Navigation | WTHM |
| River Wye | WY |
| River Yare | YARE |
| River Yeo | YEO |
| Rochdale Canal | RC |
| Rockland Dyke and Rockland Broad | NBRD |
| Romford Canal | RMFR |
| Royal Military Canal | RMC |
| Rushall Canal (BCN) | BCRC |
| Salford - Wigan Canal project | SWCP |
| Salisbury & Southampton Canal | S&SC |
| Sankey Brook Navigation | SYBN |
| Scarborough and Whitby Canal schemes | SWCS |
| Scarsdale & High Peak Canal project | SHPC |
| Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation | S&SY |
| Sheffield and South Yorkshire New Junction Canal | SSYN |
| Sheffield Canal | SHFF |
| Shrewsbury Canal | SHRW |
| Shropshire Canal | SHRP |
| Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal | SULC |
| Shropshire Union - Middlewich Branch | SUMB |
| Shropshire Union Canal | SU |
| Shropshire Union Dee Branch | SUDB |
| Shropshire Union Main Line | SUML |
| Shropshire Union Montgomery Canal | SUMC |
| Shropshire Union Prees Branch | SUPB |
| Sir John Glynne's Canal | SJGC |
| Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal | SNGC |
| Sleaford Navigation | SLFR |
| Soho Branch Loop Line | BCSL |
| Somerset Coal Canal | SMRS |
| Speedwell Level | SPDW |
| Spon Lane Locks Branch (BCN) | BCSP |
| St Nicholas Bay Harbour & Caterbury Canal | SH&C |
| St. Columb Canal | STCL |
| Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal | S&WC |
| Stainforth & Keadby Canal | S&KC |
| Stalham Dyke (River Ant) | NBSD |
| Stevenston Canal | STVN |
| Stockton & Darlington Canal Project | S&DC |
| Stonebridge Drain | WNST |
| Stort - Cam Canal projects | SCCP |
| Stourbridge Canal | STRB |
| Stourbridge Canal - Stourbridge Branch | SCSB |
| Stourbridge Canal - The Fens on Pensnett Chase Branch | SCFP |
| Stourbridge Extension Canal | SBEX |
| Stourbridge, Wolverhampton & Birmingham Junc'n Canal | SWBC |
| Stover Canal | STVR |
| Stratford upon Avon Canal | SUAC |
| Stratford upon Avon Canal - Kingswood Branch | SAKB |
| Stretford and Leigh Branch (Bridgewater Canal) | BGSL |
| Stroudwater Canal | STRD |
| Swaffham Lode | SWFL |
| Swansea Canal | SWNS |
| Tamar Manure Navigation | TMRM |
| Tame Valley Canal | BCTV |
| Taunton - Uphill Canal project | TUCP |
| Tavistock Canal | TVST |
| Tees Canal schemes | TECS |
| Tennant Canal | TNNT |
| Thames & Medway Canal | TH&M |
| Thames and Severn Canal | T&SC |
| Thorpe Village Loop (River Yare) | NBTV |
| Titford Canal (BCN) | BCTC |
| Torrington Canal | TRRN |
| Tremadoc Canal | TRMD |
| Trent and Mersey Canal | T&MC |
| Trewyddfa Canal | TRWY |
| Trowse Mills Branch (River Yare) | NBTM |
| Ulverston Canal | ULVR |
| Upper Avon | UAVN |
| Vauxhall Canal | VXHL |
| Walsall Branch Canal | BCWA |
| Walsall Canal | BCWL |
| Wandsworth - Croydon Canal project | WCCP |
| Warwick & Birmingham Canal | WKBC |
| Warwick & Napton Canal | WKNC |
| Weald of Kent Canal project | WKCP |
| Wednesbury Oak Loop Line | BCWO |
| Wednesbury Old Canal (BCN) | BCWB |
| Went Canal project | WTCP |
| Wern Canal | WERN |
| West Fen Catchwater Drain | WNWC |
| West Fen Drain | WNWF |
| Western Union Canal project | WUCP |
| Wey and Arun Junction Canal | W&AJ |
| Whaley Bridge Branch | PFWB |
| Whitby Canal | WHTB |
| Wicken Lode | WCKL |
| Wilts and Berks Canal | W&BC |
| Wimbledon & Wandsworth Canal project | WWCP |
| Wisbech Canal | WSBC |
| Witham Navigable Drains | WND |
| Wombridge Canal | WMBR |
| Woodeaves Canal | WDVS |
| Worcester & Gloucester Union Canal project | WGUC |
| Worcester and Birmingham Canal | W&B |
| Worsley Brook Navigation project | WBNP |
| Wyrley and Essington Canal (BCN) | BCWE |
