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Big River Watch is Back!

Take part in our spring Big River Watch survey, and join us in painting a clearer picture of river health in the UK and Ireland. Download the free app, and visit your river between the 25th April and 1st May.

How to survey your river
The river Wye

Wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.

Healthy rivers are essential to human life, they provide us with drinking water, they water our crops, they are home to important species of wildlife, they provide recreational spaces for our health and wellbeing.

Make a difference
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A man testing water quality using sampling kit people planting a wetland

0% good overall health

0%

of all rivers in England and Northern Ireland are classed as 'good overall'.

Natural barriers

99%

of British rivers have artificial barriers obstructing migrating fish

Species decline

83%

decline in freshwater species globally since 1970

1% of the earth

1%

of the earth's surface is made up of freshwater ecosystems, yet they provide habitat for 100,000+ species

Take action.

See what you can do to save rivers and help communities thrive.

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Get informed

The camera bisects the surface of the water, with river plants shown below and a person walking along the bank above

State of Our Rivers

The race to climate resilience will be won or lost on rivers – and right now we’re losing.

Learn more

A CSO with wetwipes clinging to the bars

Raw sewage in our rivers

Sewage is discharged into rivers across the UK and Ireland on a daily basis. This isn’t an isolated problem; it occurs up and down the country, affecting urban city centre rivers and pristine chalk streams alike.

Learn more

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Key issues

Explore the major threats that our rivers are facing, get clued up on the latest facts, figures and data available, and source some useful resources that can help rivers thrive.

Learn more

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Take action

Whether you can’t wait to get your hands dirty while cleaning up rivers, or you’d rather support us from the comfort of your own home, there are lots of ways you can support our work to restore rivers.

Learn more

Latest news

view over the circular pools of a water treatment plant

Water bill rises & Defra’s water company announcements

  • The Rivers Trust

Today could represent a much-needed turning point for the water industry, but it is one step in a longer journey.

Learn more

Photo from behind of a man stood overlooking a bay of water from a cliff.

Visiting the Start Line: Gearing Up for the World’s Toughest Row

  • The Rivers Trust

Jake Still, who is set to row the Atlantic in 2025 to raise funds for The Rivers Trust and Aire Rivers Trust, shares his firsthand experience of visiting La Gomera, where he watched the 2024 crews embark on their journey and gained valuable insights for his own challenge ahead.

Learn more

Ducks in marina water with bright green algal bloom

Annual Conference on blue-green algae: call for submissions

  • Rebecca Duncan

The Rivers Trust’s Annual Conference in 2025 will examine the vast impacts of blue-green algal blooms on waterbodies whilst uncovering the root causes of how and why they occur, and the integral roles played by our rivers and catchments.

Learn more

River with trees and field in the foreground

The Rivers Trust Movement demands urgent release of Water Restoration Fund money in letter to Minister

  • Matthew Woodard

The Rivers Trust Movement has written to Water Minister Emma Hardy, calling on her to ensure money currently sitting unused in the Water Restoration Fund is paid out to start the task of reversing harm on the environment.

Learn more