In July, half of England and all of Wales was declared in drought by the Environment Agency. We wanted to update you on how this affects our canals and all the steps we’re taking to manage water resources.
Combs reservoir running low as it feeds the Rochdale Canal
Until recent weeks, a wet winter had put our reservoir holdings in a good position, especially compared with the dry spring and summer of 2025. Since then, the Met Office has reported that last month England had just 4% of the average July rainfall, while Wales saw just 6%. Across the canal network, this has reduced reservoir, river and canal feeder levels, and, unfortunately, led to an introduction of temporary restrictions or closures to manage canal water levels.
We are redirecting as much of our resources as possible towards operational activity that help conserve water and keep boats moving. In particular, we’re trying to support key busy waterways with heavy boat traffic, locations that support boating businesses, and routes that are important for transferring water around the country.
These measures are taken to preserve supplies and keep navigation open for boating for as long as possible. With little rain forecast through August, there’s little immediate prospect of our reservoirs, groundwater or river supplies being replenished soon.
To save water, we’re also repairing lock gates and paddles, identifying and fixing leaks, improving feeder channels, and prioritising and accelerating projects that could help conserve supply. As a result, some planned work in other areas has needed to be paused while resources are concentrated on the most urgent priorities.
Campbell Robb, our chief executive is chairing our drought response
Campbell Robb, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “We know restrictions and closures are hugely frustrating for both boaters and canal businesses, and we're sorry for the disruption they cause. Please rest assured that we all want the same thing: a thriving and navigable network. These changes will help us protect the routes that are most important for boating, support boating businesses and strengthen the resilience of the network for the future.”
In the meantime, we’re stepping up our communication with boaters to let them know where stoppages or restrictions are and to help them find ways to continue their journeys, with timely and accurate information on our website.
As a Friend and supporter of canals, you play a vital role in helping us protect the network and make it more resilient as we adapt to our changing climate. Please do report any water levels that look unusually low as you spend time on our canals and towpaths, by using our online form.
In the meantime, if you’d like to know more, including the latest updates on which canals are affected, please visit:
