Environment Agency Navigation and Waterways

Welcome to the Environment Agency's national navigation and waterways engagement page.

We are the second largest navigation authority in the UK, responsible for managing 1,010km of inland waterways.

This includes:

  • the non-tidal River Thames
  • Anglian waterways
  • Medway navigation
  • Rivers Wye and Lugg
  • Rye and Lydney harbours

On this page you can find out more about the work we are doing to achieve our objectives and make improvements to our waterways. See our 'news feed' below.

You can also find other useful information, the answers to some frequently asked questions and ways to contact and follow us on the right hand side of the page.


We want to hear from you!

Please complete our 'Quick polls' via the tab below (make sure to click 'next' to move through them) - the information you provide helps us to understand our waterway users, shape our strategy and improve our service. (All polls are anonymous).

We value the feedback from our waterway users. Tell us what you would like to see on this page and how we could improve what we share with you by filling in our short 'Survey' via the tab below.

Please note that this is a dynamic platform and will always be under review and kept up to date. Your feedback will therefore always be considered.


Welcome to the Environment Agency's national navigation and waterways engagement page.

We are the second largest navigation authority in the UK, responsible for managing 1,010km of inland waterways.

This includes:

  • the non-tidal River Thames
  • Anglian waterways
  • Medway navigation
  • Rivers Wye and Lugg
  • Rye and Lydney harbours

On this page you can find out more about the work we are doing to achieve our objectives and make improvements to our waterways. See our 'news feed' below.

You can also find other useful information, the answers to some frequently asked questions and ways to contact and follow us on the right hand side of the page.


We want to hear from you!

Please complete our 'Quick polls' via the tab below (make sure to click 'next' to move through them) - the information you provide helps us to understand our waterway users, shape our strategy and improve our service. (All polls are anonymous).

We value the feedback from our waterway users. Tell us what you would like to see on this page and how we could improve what we share with you by filling in our short 'Survey' via the tab below.

Please note that this is a dynamic platform and will always be under review and kept up to date. Your feedback will therefore always be considered.


  • 'Our waterways - a plan for 2025'

    We published our latest Waterways plan on the Environment Agency GOV.UK website. Use this link to read the latest version 'Our Waterways - a plan for 2025'. The plan focusses on making improvements to our waterways in 2025. The objectives are to:

    • keep our staff and customers safe
    • make improvements to the customer experience
    • secure more income to move towards a financially sustainable service
    • describe the future ambition for our waterways and how we will get there

    How we will update on our progress

    • We reported on our progress mid summer (completed - see news story) and again

    We published our latest Waterways plan on the Environment Agency GOV.UK website. Use this link to read the latest version 'Our Waterways - a plan for 2025'. The plan focusses on making improvements to our waterways in 2025. The objectives are to:

    • keep our staff and customers safe
    • make improvements to the customer experience
    • secure more income to move towards a financially sustainable service
    • describe the future ambition for our waterways and how we will get there

    How we will update on our progress

    • We reported on our progress mid summer (completed - see news story) and again in the autumn.
    • We will update all our boat registration customers in their registration renewals at the end of the year.
    • We will also communicate our progress throughout the year through social media and other communication channels.

    Please watch our video where our Area Directors, with responsibility for our waterways, speak about the plan and what our teams are doing to contribute towards it.

    A look ahead

    Due to the short-term nature of our Plan for 2025, work has already commenced internally and with our stakeholders on the longer-term strategy to establish the future ambition of our waterways, once we better understand our longer-term funding position. We will keep you up to date.

Page last updated: 07 Apr 2026, 09:57 AM