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253 news articles

Ariel view of a water flowing into a water treatment plant

Will this be the year that government makes the changes we need to fix our water system?

  • The Rivers Trust
2025 has the potential to be a transformative year for the water environment. We have the opportunity to kick-start once-in-a-generation change towards more integrated water management, ensuring that our water system genuinely meets the needs of our people, nature and a thriving economy.

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a woman with a backpack and walking pole sands next to a river looking at the water

Emmeline Hardisty’s 1000-mile riparian pilgrimage for the rights of rivers

  • The Rivers Trust
This summer, Emmeline walked over 1,000 miles along rivers while campaigning for these ecosystems to be given rights that would support their protection and restoration.

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Water falls over a tall weir stretching across a river

[The Source Code] Mapping barriers in our rivers

  • The Rivers Trust
Barriers in rivers can present huge problems for wildlife and water flow. Removal can be a complicated issue, and data collection plays an important role in addressing those which pose the biggest threats. Part of [The Source Code] series: regular tech and data insights from The Rivers Trust’s Heather Bell, celebrating the digital tools and teams powering environmental change. Sign up to our newsletter to get every piece delivered to your inbox.

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Young male in black coat, wearing a rucksack, walking alongside a river holding a rubbish bag and a litter picker

The Rubbish Raft — An adventure into Manchester’s polluted waterways

  • The Rivers Trust
Adventure filmmaker and presenter Raphael Holt sets out on an ambitious journey to raise awareness of the issues facing Manchester’s waterways by building a raft from rubbish collected along the riverbanks and sailing it across the city.

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Waterfall on a river in Exmoor National Park, England

[The Source Code] Analysis of our National Park Rivers: New report outlines the risk

  • The Rivers Trust
  • Blog
How The Rivers Trust’s technical team contributed key data analysis of rivers in England’s national parks to the Rivers At Risk Report. Part of [The Source Code] series: regular tech and data insights from The Rivers Trust’s Heather Bell, celebrating the digital tools and teams powering environmental change. Sign up to our newsletter to get every piece delivered to your inbox.

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View over woman's shoulder with blonde hair wearing yellow coat holding a phone up in front of a river

Big River Watch September 2025 results: citizen science, nature connection, and action for our rivers

  • Matthew Woodard
From spotting pollution and wildlife to reconnecting with your local river, last month thousands of you got outside for a week full of citizen science and action for our rivers.

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Woman in blue jeans, red shirt, and navy rain coat stood in forest

National Trust does Big River Watch: A day of citizen science and nature connection

  • The Rivers Trust
In September, National Trust projects from the Freshwater Renaissance programme joined The Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch and Earthwatch Europe’s Great UK WaterBlitz, bringing communities together to get involved in citizen science, explore their local waterways, gather vital data and celebrate caring for our rivers, and in this blog the projects share their reflections on the experience.

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man planting wetland

[The Source Code] A new guide for designing a wetland

  • The Rivers Trust
Wetlands offer myriad ecological benefits — from wildlife habitat and drought resilience, to the capture of nutrient pollution. The Wetland Mitigation – Detailed Design Guide, shares design principles that ensure wetlands are effective, sustainable, and capable of delivering nutrient reductions. Part of [The Source Code] series: regular tech and data insights from The Rivers Trust’s Heather Bell, celebrating the digital tools and teams powering environmental change. Sign up to our newsletter to get every piece delivered to your inbox.

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Group of six people, three women and three men stood outside a building with a black door holding envelopes

Making Space for Water campaign letter hand delivered to 10 Downing Street

  • The Rivers Trust
On the 15th October, representatives from the Riverscape Partnership, supporting MPs, river ambassadors and champions, hand delivered a letter advocating for the Making Space for Water campaign to Number 10, calling on the Government to support the creation of nationwide river corridors.

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Sewage treatment plant seen from above

Cunliffe and Corry have reported – what should happen next?

  • The Rivers Trust
  • Blog
CEO of The Rivers Trust, Mark Lloyd, shares his reflections and recommendations following the major reviews of the water sector that have taken place this year.

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