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Hand holding a phone in front of a river, displaying the Big River Watch app

Big River Watch

Become a citizen scientist and tell us about your local river by completing a quick and easy survey using the free Big River Watch app between the 24th and 30th of April. By recording wildlife, signs of pollution, and much more, you can help us build a big picture of river health across the UK and Ireland.

Take part in our spring Big River Watch
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
Child looking at nature
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

River in drought

Drought and water scarcity

Many people don’t even realise that the UK and Ireland experience drought; after all, we’re known for our rain! However, it only takes a few sunny days to dry our vulnerable rivers to the point that they virtually disappear, with disastrous consequences for wildlife and river ecosystems.

Learn more

A CSO with wetwipes clinging to the bars

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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Volunteer holding sapling

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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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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Latest news

View across the Thames to Westminster, Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben

Government’s Water White Paper: Welcome signals, worrying gaps, and vital work still to do

  • The Rivers Trust

The long-awaited Water White paper contains some positive steps to reform water management, but without significant new government funding it will not be the radical, transformational change that we hoped for or that communities, our environment and the economy need.

Learn more

Hand holding mobile phone displaying Big River Watch app with river in background

The Big River Watch returns as public concern over river health reaches new heights

  • Jack Hatcher

People across the UK and Ireland urged to become citizen scientists and gather data on river health as part of the Big River Watch from 24 – 30 April 2026. 

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A smiling woman stands on the banks of the Thames, looking into the distance

The London Mudlark, Lara Maiklem, joins The Rivers Trust as its latest ambassador

  • Jack Hatcher

Lara Maiklem joins a growing group of passionate river advocates in support of The Rivers Trust’s vision for wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all. Read on to learn about Lara’s passion for the River Thames.

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Disgusting brown water pours out of a meal pipe into a river

Reduction in sewage discharges must not be misidentified as progress — an in depth look at the 2025 annual spill data

  • The Rivers Trust

Just 79 overflows saw regulation-led improvements in 2025. That’s just 0.5% of all overflows in England.

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