02 Oct 2024
Recent flooding has led to localised river and surface water flooding across central England, Yorkshire and the North East. Further rainfall over the last few days means minor, localised river flooding impacts across England, including parts of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and the East. At 2pm on Tuesday, there were 47 flood warnings, showing flooding is expected, […]
02 Oct 2024
Around 70 crayfish from the internationally important River Wansbeck population – one of the last remaining strongholds of the species – have been found dead. Testing has already ruled out the listed disease white spot syndrome virus as well as crayfish plague, and water quality testing has ruled out pollution. Further testing is being carried […]
25 Sep 2024
Helen Wakeham, Director of Water, writes how public concern around pollution in England’s waterways has increased markedly in recent years, with the actions of water companies, and particularly pollution from storm overflow discharges receiving widespread attention. She says that World Rivers Day presents a good opportunity to not only take a look at the state […]
05 Sep 2024
England’s National Parks, renowned for their natural beauty and diverse wildlife, are facing a hidden threat: pharmaceutical pollution. New research from the University of York and the Rivers Trust has revealed widespread contamination of rivers in the parks, with antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory substances, lipid regulators and diabetes treatments being detected. The study found pharmaceuticals […]
28 Aug 2024
The March for Clean Water will be held in London on 26 October to press the government to do more to clean up Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas. Activist Feargal Sharkey is heading up the protest, which has been organised by River Action and backed by a growing number of environmental, sports and community groups. […]
13 Aug 2024
Almost 500 different chemicals, some of which are banned, have been found in various mixtures across all 171 river and groundwater catchments tested in England in 2024, according to data from the Environment Agency, analysed by the Guardian and Watershed Investigations. More than half of them are classified as very toxic, toxic or harmful to aquatic […]
31 Jul 2024
An investigation by i suggests that over 5,500 sewage spills in England last year may have been illegal as they took place without permission from the Environment Agency (EA), including at spots along iconic rivers like the Wye and Avon. Water companies released untreated waste into waterways 464,056 times in 2023, official statistics show. These […]
23 Jul 2024
The Environment Agency has published a new guide for anyone who owns or occupies land or property next to or containing a main river in England. In ‘Your watercourse: rights and roles’, the Agency notes that, where a watercourse runs adjacent to or through your land you will be what is termed a ‘riparian landowner’. […]
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