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Big River Watch: 2026 Spring Survey Results

Last month, thousands of people across the UK and Ireland stepped outside, spent time by a river, and took part in our latest Big River Watch. Explore the data and insights captured during this fantastic week of citizen science in our latest report. 

Big River Watch April 2026 Report
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.

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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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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.

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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.

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Man and woman stood on stone bridge overlooking river

Big River Watch: 2026 Spring Survey Results

  • Matthew Woodard

Last month, thousands of people across the UK and Ireland spent time by a river and took part in our 2026 Spring Big River Watch. Explore the data and insights captured during this fantastic week of citizen science in our latest report.

Learn more

Group of five people, four men and one woman stood in suits in front of a river holding signs reading FLOW.

‘FLOW’ Water Quality Project Officially Launched

  • The Rivers Trust

An important new cross-border initiative aimed at improving water quality and catchment management in the Erne catchment area of the Central Border Region has been officially launched, called the FLOW (For the Love of Our Waters) Project.

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Building Community Action and Awareness Around Water in Northern Ireland

  • The Rivers Trust

Mark Horton, The Rivers Trust All-Ireland Director and CEO of Ballinderry Rivers Trust, shares his reflections on how communities across Northern Ireland are playing an important role in caring for their vital waterways.

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