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Our Impact in 2024 – 25

Over the past year, The Rivers Trust Movement has been working hard to protect, restore, and champion our rivers. Our latest Impact Report showcases some of the fantastic work that took place across the Movement last year, highlighting the projects, people, and partnerships driving positive change for our rivers.

Explore our Impact Report
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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Group of people stood in front of a poster at the launch event

Aire Resilience Company launches to tackle flood risk and the climate emergency

  • Matthew Woodard

On Tuesday, 17th June, The Rivers Trust joined leaders from businesses and institutions across Yorkshire to mark the launch of the Aire Resilience Company (ARC), a new Community Interest Company (CIC) facilitating the delivery of long-term natural flood management (NFM) interventions in the Aire valley.

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ARK 2025 17

Cross-border learning to support Water Stewardship on the Island of Ireland

  • Gwen Mainwaring

The Rivers Trust Water Stewardship Team came together to explore Nature-based Solutions on a knowledge exchange trip in Southeast England.

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ariel view of a housing development in the countryside

Why the Planning and Infrastructure Bill poses a threat to our rivers

  • The Rivers Trust

Now is the time for us all to step up for nature, across all sectors and walks of life. However, with its new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Government seems to be moving in the opposite direction.

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