CANAL & RIVER TRUST PUBLISHES its Annual Report as it responds to year of drought.
Published today its Annual Report & Accounts for 2025/26 highlights a year in which extreme weather tested the resilience of the nation’s canal network it tells, while underlining the increasingly important role waterways play in supporting nature, communities and the management of water in a changing climate.
Dominated by drought
The year 2025/26 was dominated by a summer of drought. Despite the UK’s warmest and sunniest year on record and the driest spring since 1974, the Trust was able to keep over 80% of the network fully open and operational. Colleagues and volunteers worked tirelessly to manage water supplies, keep boats afloat, and protect wildlife.
While prolonged dry conditions affected summer water supplies, the devastating breach on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch in December demonstrated the scale of challenges that an ageing canal infrastructure can bring. Working quickly in difficult conditions, teams were able to rescue stranded boats, secure the water supply around the breach site and start the rebuild which is now well underway.
The drought conditions experienced during 2025 have continued beyond the reporting period. Another drought in 2026 has meant the nation has now experienced its third major drought in five years, with waterways across England and Wales once again coming under significant pressure. Increasingly regular drought incidents reinforce the importance of canals not only as cherished heritage assets but as key infrastructure that, with investment, will help to improve the nation’s water resilience.
Despite the challenges caused by extreme weather, the report highlights a year of investment and progress across the network. The trust completed more than £55 million of major infrastructure projects, spent around £29 million upgrading reservoirs, removed over 75,000 tonnes of material through dredging, and completed 137 large-scale winter maintenance projects.
Improve the experience of boaters
The charity also continued its work to improve the experience of boaters, increasing investment in dredging, vegetation management, lock repairs and customer service facilities. It also published, and is acting upon, the report and recommendations of an independent commission which examined how waterways are used by boaters today.
Despite the operational challenges, the nation’s waterways remained hugely popular. The trust estimates that 881 million visits were made to its waterways during the year.
Alongside this vital work, fundraising and public support continued to grow. Income from donations and legacies increased to a record £10.3 million, while the number of regular supporters rose to 38,355 and volunteers contributed a record 776,242 hours helping to care for the waterways.
During the year, the trust also secured important additional public funding to support the long-term future of the canal network. The Welsh Government announced it would contribute to increased costs of water supply for the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal over the next five years, while Defra announced extra financial support of £6.5 million for projects to build long-term resilience across the network.
David Orr
David Orr, chair of Canal & River Trust, explained:
“This was a challenging year for our waterways, with drought placing enormous pressure on canals, reservoirs, wildlife and the people who depend on them. I want to pay tribute to colleagues, volunteers and partners whose dedication ensured that, despite those challenges, the vast majority of our network remained open for people to enjoy.
“The challenges described in this report have continued into this year. Since the end of the reporting period, another exceptionally dry summer has meant the nation has now experienced its third major drought in five years. It underlines both the scale of the challenge we face and the growing importance of canals in supporting nature, communities and contributing uniquely to the country’s water resilience.
“Our task is not only to protect this remarkable inheritance, but to ensure it continues to deliver benefits for people, nature and water management for generations to come. I would like to take the opportunity to recognise the many thousands of individuals and organisations who have contributed through donations during the year.”
Campbell Robb
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Canal & River Trust, tells:
“This report reflects the incredible commitment of the people who care for our waterways. Despite drought, water shortages and the Llangollen Canal breach, colleagues and volunteers worked tirelessly to keep canals open, protect wildlife and support the millions of people who enjoy our waterways every year.
“The report highlights significant investment across the network, growing public support and additional funding from both the Welsh Government and Defra to help build long-term resilience.
“As extreme weather becomes more frequent and intense, our responsibility is to adapt, innovate and invest so that canals can continue to be enjoyed by boaters and local communities, as well as provide crucial corridors for nature, long into the future.”
The full Annual Report & Accounts 2025/26 is available on the Canal & River Trust website:
Annual Report & Accounts | Canal & River Trust.
Public meeting
The Canal & River Trust’s Annual Public Meeting will take place online at 2pm on Tuesday 20 October 2026, providing an opportunity for supporters, boaters, volunteers and members of the public to hear more about the charity’s work and ask questions about the year covered in the report.
Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing