Rivers in UK

Location: Across UK, however with a focus on chalk channels

Size: All sizes of streams, tributaries and streams

Iconic species: From oysters and eels to otters and herons

Individuals: many people rely on liquid from our streams and streams

About UK rivers and chalk channels

Our rivers help make the British landscape so picturesque, and radiant with wildlife. And so they supply lots of our fresh water.

Some of our most beautiful rivers are chalk streams, whoever pure, obvious, continual water from underground aquifers and springs, along with flinty gravel beds, cause them to well suited for many crazy species to type and thrive.

Understand how you are able to .

Why British streams and chalk streams matter

The UK’s rivers tend to be a vital source of fresh-water for folks, industry, agriculture and wildlife. Our chalk channels tend to be special – there are only about 200 chalk channels on earth, and most of these have been in the southern half England.

We have a duty to take care of these rare and delicate surroundings: chalk streams tend to be our rainforests.

Wildlife that live the UK's rivers and chalk channels

Our streams and streams – whenever they’re healthy – are residence to all kinds of pets, seafood, insects and flowers.

Unsustainable abstraction

Simply put, taking out too much liquid. Whether it’s to satisfy domestic, agricultural or commercial need, if water is extracted from streams faster than it could naturally be replaced – occasionally an incredible number of litres taken in a day – it willn’t leave enough to support wildlife or normal ecosystems. Some chalk streams have actually practically become dried-up ditches for component or all 12 months.

Agricultural fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides all really affect the quality of our river-water and broader wildlife habitats. Pollution from facilities and towns, especially during hefty rains, has triggered excessive nutritional elements, sediments or any other contaminants in lots of rivers.

Excessive and inefficient water usage

A mix of population development and a spiralling rise in water usage have actually placed huge stress on our rivers and streams. And research shows that a third of this water we take from environment is lost.

Global warming and volatile weather condition methods are set to impact habits of rain, bringing down lake and aquifer amounts and enhancing the regularity of both floods and droughts – complicating and worsening various other dilemmas our streams face.

Dealing with communities

We’ve been assisting homeowners result in the link between the liquid they normally use to scrub and drink and whatever they see in their neighborhood streams. Like our ‘Save Water Swindon’ project, in partnership with Thames Water and Waterwise, helped above 2, 000 domiciles decrease their particular water usage. We’ve aided boost awareness about liquid effectiveness and metering among thousands and thousands of individuals.

We make use of water organizations to reform out-of-date and unsustainable water administration systems, along with neighborhood farmers to cut back agricultural contamination of streams from pesticide and fertiliser run-off. We assist them to to notice it’s good-for their particular business, as well as the environment. We're using the services of Coca Cola regarding River Nar, a chalk flow in Norfolk.

Together, we're working to restore the lake to its natural, meandering state in locations where it has been artificially altered. The business, which recognises the significance of healthy water supplies with regards to their worldwide business, has a local connection given that it makes use of sugar-beet cultivated in your community.