Why rivers need a voice

UK rivers remain in poor health, with new figures revealing a further decline in ecological standards. But The Rivers Trust’s latest report also highlights encouraging signs of recovery and the power of community action.

Not one river in the United Kingdom was in good overall health – that’s what The Rivers Trust revealed in its 2024 State of Our Rivers report. Two years later the new 2026 report has been published – but has anything changed?

The situation remains critical. Rivers in England achieving a good ecological standard have dropped from 16% to 14%. This worrying situation continues: 54% Scottish, 60% Welsh, 71% Northern Irish, and 52% of Irish rivers, all failing. This data is particularly bad news for wild swimmers as rivers are already under-represented in achieving bathing water status. When we look beyond the statistics at the work across The Rivers Trust Movement there are signs of hope – endangered species returning in the Derwent, 300 river barriers identified by Big River Watch participants, and more river sites receiving bathing water designations following campaigning.

Nature writer, Robert Macfarlane puts it best as he introduces this year’s report: “Here in the UK, change is rising rapidly from the riverbank up. It is cause for tremendous hope; indeed, I think it is the most hopeful thing I know. Given a chance, the life of rivers will pour back, and with it ours too.”

Read the full report at theriverstrust.org