Photo: The River Trent Washlands restoration project, Summer 2025.
Helping communities to help rivers
The world's rivers have never been under so much stress.
Even in the UK and Ireland, rivers are under huge pressure from water extraction ("abstraction"), climate change, pollution, and other human activities.
The UK Rivers Network brings people together to create a better future for rivers and inland waters in the UK and Ireland.
How this website works
It's really easy to get involved in helping your local river. Here are five simple things you can do:
Love your river
Find out about festivals, talks, voluntary river clean-ups, and other events. → More
Enjoy your river with a walk or cycle ride. → More
What's new?
The River Test at Mottisfont, Hampshire in summer.
Here are some new things on our website and elsewhere...
UK and Ireland: local community river groups: Want to get involved with local river conservation projects? Did you know there are about 200 local community groups (and related projects) working to clean up our rivers and keep them in tip-top shape? Check out our updated, interactive map and list.- River events 2026: Festivals, walks, talks, courses... and much more!
- River walks and cycle rides: We've recently updated our list of several hundred riverside walks and cycle routes all around the UK.
And, of course, our weekly river news feed is back!
Latest UK rivers news
Our news feed is back! You can also search for news items yourself on our news archive page.
Here's a PDF of our current newsletter (26 October 2026).
October 2026
- 23 October 2026: The River Tees fisherman turned activist dubbed the Mr Bates of the seas: The Guardian looks at "All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea", a new film about the North East Fishing Collective (NEFC) and their battle to save the seas, in cinemas from 23 October.
- 23 October 2026: Denmark nurdles may be from Tyne spill, agency says: Nurdles found along the Danish coast are likely to originate from the spill in north-east England, according to the country's environment agency. "Dirty Man of Europe", anyone?
- 23 October 2026: Norwich's rivers may be in their worst ever state: Norwich's rivers are "possibly in their worst ever condition" and could cost hundreds of millions of pounds to repair, councillors have been warned. Saving the Wensum and the Yare could take up to 30 years, with the rivers battered by sewage spills, polluted runoff, exceptionally low flows and the longer-term degradation of their natural habitats.
- 23 October 2026: Sea aster mining bee recorded on WWT saltmarsh for the first time: The rare invertebrate was found in Somerset by local naturalist and WWT life member Nigel Phillips.
- 23 October 2026: Atlantic Salmon Trust auction opens for business!: From world-class fly fishing adventures and exclusive conservation experiences to original artwork and unique gifts, the Atlantic Salmon Trust's annual fundraising auction is officially open... and every bid helps support the recovery of one of our most iconic species.
- 23 October 2026: Scottish Back Burn river restoration celebrates completion with recognition in prestigious nature awards: An ambitious partnership project to restore the Back Burn to its more natural state in Glenrothes and Markinch has been recognised by a prestigious award scheme – just as the restoration work has been completed.
- 23 October 2026: As flood risk rises, some communities question the idea of "resilience": Resilience is often considered to be a positive idea. It suggests that people can adapt to uncertainty, to prepare for disruption, and recover quickly when floods strike. But research by Paul O'Hare of Manchester Metropolitan University suggests many communities are deeply uncomfortable with this messaging, and some reject it altogether.
- 22 October 2026: Here's Everything You Need to Know About Volunteering!: How do you get involved in community river work... and just what's involved? For Ribble Rivers Trust, Charlotte Ireland explains.
- 22 October 2026: MPs say Burnham's plan to fix sewage crisis and lower water bills 'could fail': A group of 28 Labour MPs have urged Andy Burnham to go further in his plans to take control of England's privately owned water companies to bring down bills and reverse environmental damage.
- 22 October 2026: Salisbury's rare rivers face pollution and climate threats: Salisbury is home to some of the world's rarest and most important rivers, but there are "worrying signs" that all is not well beneath the surface, according to Dave Rumble, chief executive of Wessex Rivers Trust. The warning comes as The Rivers Trust's new State of Our Rivers Report 2026 finds there has been no overall improvement in the health of England's rivers since 2024.
- 22 October 2026: Norwich campaigners renew push for Wensum bathing status: Campaigners hoping to secure bathing water status for a stretch of the River Wensum in Norwich say they are trapped in a familiar "Catch-22" that is preventing progress: additional testing would come with bathing water designation, but proving the need for improvements can be difficult without more testing.
- 22 October 2026: Worldview: When Rivers Run Low in the American West: The Atlantic looks at how the history of the Colorado River has a habit of repeating itself. William Smythe's prediction (when water becomes scarce, society will languish) remains just as true today.
- 22 October 2026: Unsafe water, burning eyes and kerosene slicks: residents demand answers on River Taff leak: Oily slicks of kerosene still appeared to be leaking into the River Taff this week, several days after a breach of thousands of litres was spotted by members of the public. Residents along the Taff were advised to keep windows and doors closed last week, after it emerged that thousands of litres of kerosene from a GE Aerospace site in Nantgarw, Rhondda Cynon Taf had entered the river.
- 22 October 2026: Delivering Natural Flood Management with Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust: A fascinating look at some practical NFM projects YDRT has recently delivered, with Matthew Lyall.
- 21 October 2026: Light at the end of the tunnel for Windermere?: A giant tunnel is one of the solutions proposed to tackle the long-term problem of sewage in Lake Windermere.
- 21 October 2026: Save Windermere: "A historic moment... But our fight is far from over": Matt Staniek, founder of Save Windermere, welcomes the current plan, but notes that it's just the "end of the beginning".
- 21 October 2026: Eden Rivers Trust: 1.7 million invasive Himalayan balsam plants removed in 2026!: This year, Eden Rivers Trust joined forces with a growing number of communities, helping to reclaim riverbanks from this invasive and destructive species at our Balsam Bashing events held throughout the summer months. Residents and volunteers joined balsam bashing events in Daleraven, Cummersdale, Caldew, Great Salkeld, Stainton, Hunsonby, Heads Nook, Engine Lonning, Thackthwaite, Wetheral, Warcop, Ormside, Great Musgrave, Gilsland, Melmerby, Frenchfields, Ploughlands, Mains Farm, Penruddock and Long Marton.
- 20 October 2026: £43m a year invested in restoring the River Trent could generate £10bn in economic benefits: A new report, The Rivers 2040 Vision, published by the Wildlife Trusts, Trent Rivers Trust and Intact Insurance estimates that investing £43m a year in restoring the River Trent over the next 30 years could generate about £10bn in economic benefits. The river, which is about 350km long and passes through Staffordshire and six other counties, could be a blueprint for how waterways across England could be restored.
- 20 October 2026: Talking entomology and rare caddisflies with Sharon and Peter Flint: The Malham Sedge is an incredibly rare, and rather elusive, caddisfly in Britain that is found exclusively at Malham Tarn in North Yorkshire. Much of what we currently know about this caddisfly comes from the dedication of local entomologists Sharon and Peter Flint, whose passion for Malham Tarn and its unique wildlife has helped transform our understanding of this remarkable species.
- 20 October 2026: Hot summer takes toll on chalk stream ecosystems: A summer of consistently low rainfall and high temperatures has damaged the fragile ecosystems of chalk streams, conservationists have warned. On the River Pang in Berkshire, stretches of the waterway have dried up in places where residents and anglers say they have never previously seen.
- 20 October 2026: Legal victory: WildFish wins pesticide case against the Health and Safety Executive: WildFish has welcomed a new ruling by the General Regulatory Chamber (GRC) which reaffirms that pesticide users "hold" pesticide records on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and that they can be requested by members of the public. The tribunal also confirmed that WildFish's requests weren't "manifestly unreasonable" and that there is public interest in disclosure.
- 20 October 2026: Freshwater Habitats Trust: How our monitoring is guiding freshwater conservation: As Freshwater Habitats Trust completes its biggest ever season of freshwater surveys, Technical Director Dr Naomi Ewald explains how almost four decades of research is helping us understand the state of freshwater biodiversity – and carry out practical conservation work to restore it.
- 19 October 2026: Paddling volunteers tackle floating pennywort on the Lee Navigation: Paddle UK has been leading the award-winning River Lea Floating Pennywort Project alongside partners and volunteers, helping to tackle the spread of this invasive plant and protect waterways. The project continued to make progress in 2026, with a series of clean-up sessions along the Lee Navigation. From 2025-2026, the project has helped clear 22.5km of waterways and remove 250 tonnes of floating pennywort.
- 19 October 2026: Now MPs call out Natural England's "Cash for Trash" rivers scheme: MP Chris Hinchcliffe has become the latest critic of the plan to "offset" housebuilding damage with river "restoration" projects in Norfolk, which we've been calling attention to over the last few months.
- 19 October 2026: Crucial ocean protection target 265 years off pace as UN nature summit begins: A new report from Greenpeace International reveals that, at the current rate of progress, it could take 265 years to fully protect 30 per cent of the ocean, which scientists say is the minimum required to give it a chance at recovery.
- 16 October 2026: Biosciences researchers join major £54m effort to tackle biosecurity threats: Durham University biosciences researchers are playing a leading role in a major new study investigating how pollution accelerates the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria, often called superbugs.
CARMA (Co-selection of Antimicrobial Resistance by Metals Alliance) is one of 18 research projects being supported through a £54 million investment from the UK Government and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
- 15 October 2026: Car wash bans and low water pressure could hit millions as severe drought declared: Severe drought (the highest status possible) has been declared in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex, areas that cover more than 4.5m people. It is the first time this level of drought has been used in England. The situation is deemed so serious that it merited a meeting of ministers and officials at Whitehall's emergency planning committee Cobra on Thursday last week, and insiders say it is rapidly moving up the agenda for Andy Burnham's government.
- 9 October 2026: Scotland is finally consulting on protecting its inshore seabed. But are the proposals enough?: OpenSeas takes a critical look at the Scottish Government's consultation on fisheries management measures for Scotland's inshore Marine Protected Areas.
More news...
Events in October
October 2026
- Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November: WWT Super Natural: This enchanting seasonal half-term event, running for one week only from invites families to discover the wonders, wildlife and folklore of wetlands through hands-on activities and outdoor adventures.
- Monday 26 October to Saturday 31 October: Where the River Meets
Us: From wildlife walks and riverside photography to storytelling, music, film, creative workshops and community activities, Where the River Meets Us offers plenty of ways to explore Norwich's rivers.
- 30-31 October: Tweed River Festival, Melrose.
- Throughout October: Thames 21 events: Hands-on London activities this month include "
"Oxleas Woods - Slowing the Flow " (1/10, 21/10, 22/10), "Back in Beck (river restoration)" (7/10,8 8/10, "Dollis Brook Revival" (13/10, 14/10), and more.
- Throughout October: Don Catchment Rivers Trust events: Lots of hands-on practical/restoration/conservation activities.
More events...
Jobs and other opportunities
The closing dates for jobs are in brackets.
Jobs
Trustees and other voluntary posts
Other opportunities
The Rivers Trust has a useful page of current vacancies with the various trusts, including voluntary posts and openings for trustees.
Last updated: 25 October 2026
