Canal & River Trust has published its 2025/26 annual report, setting out the effect of extreme weather on a 2,000-mile canal and navigable river network. The organisation says exceptionally dry conditions dominated the year, but staff and volunteers managed to keep more than 80 per cent of the network fully open. The figures demonstrate the complexity of balancing leisure navigation with the water requirements of wildlife, local communities and industrial users.
A revealing year for a historic waterway network
Canal & River Trust has published its 2025/26 annual report, setting out the effect of extreme weather on a 2,000-mile canal and navigable river network. The organisation says exceptionally dry conditions dominated the year, but staff and volunteers managed to keep more than 80 per cent of the network fully open. The figures demonstrate the complexity of balancing leisure navigation with the water requirements of wildlife, local communities and industrial users.
The year included a major breach on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch in December, an event that required teams to rescue stranded boats, manage the water supply and begin reconstruction. The charity says the rebuild is continuing. A boater reading the annual accounts should understand these events as reminders of the network's vulnerability rather than simply isolated inconveniences.
Investment hidden behind everyday cruising
During the reporting year, the Trust completed more than £55 million of major infrastructure projects, invested approximately £29 million in reservoir upgrades and removed over 75,000 tonnes of dredged material. It also completed 137 major winter maintenance projects. These are not necessarily the works most visible to a person enjoying a sunny afternoon aboard, but they help keep the system navigable.
Dredging, embankment repairs and reservoir maintenance all contribute to reliability. A shallow approach channel or failed lock can interrupt many trips, while water loss across a canal may require long closures. Investment therefore supports the entire chain of leisure activity, from independent narrowboats to local hire businesses.
Volunteers and public visitors sustain the canals
The report estimates 881 million visits to the waterways during the year and records 776,242 hours of volunteer contribution. Donations and legacies reached £10.3 million, with 38,355 regular supporters. Such figures underline the broad public role of canals as green spaces even among people who never step onto a boat.
Popularity also creates pressures, including litter, vegetation management and competing uses of towpaths. Responsible recreation can help preserve the experience for walkers, cyclists, anglers and boat crews. Simple steps such as observing mooring etiquette and respecting habitats remain relevant even when major engineering work attracts most of the attention.
Weather resilience will determine future access
The charity says the 2025 drought was followed by another exceptionally dry summer in 2026, the third major drought in five years. It has also secured additional public support, including £6.5 million from Defra for resilience projects and a Welsh Government contribution to water-supply costs on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
For anyone planning future cruising holidays, the practical lesson is to check current navigation notices and maintain flexibility. Annual investment totals cannot guarantee uninterrupted access to each route, especially under extreme weather. The report provides a useful record of work undertaken and a measure of the continuing challenge to maintain an extraordinary heritage network.
Source
Canal & River Trust