Canal & River Trust has temporarily suspended the requirement for boats without a home mooring to move at least every 14 days as part of efforts to conserve water during the current drought.
The temporary measure, which comes into force with immediate effect, has been introduced to help reduce demand on the network and avoid unnecessary lock movements at a time when waterways across England and Wales are under growing pressure from prolonged dry weather.
The suspension will remain in place until 31 August 2026 and will be kept under review if drought conditions continue.
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Where water resources and local conditions allow, boaters can continue to enjoy the waterways, including summer holidays, leisure cruising and accessing essential facilities such as water points and boat yards. However, by temporarily removing the requirement for boats without a home mooring to move at least every 14 days, the Trust hopes to reduce non-essential journeys.
The temporary suspension applies only to the 14-day movement requirement. It does not allow overstaying on short-stay moorings and facilities, where existing time limits remain in force. Whilst the 14-day movement requirement is suspended, Trust rangers will focus on short-stay and facilities moorings to ensure they remain available for all users.
Matthew Symonds, head of boating & customer service at Canal & River Trust, said: “With drought conditions now affecting large parts of England and all of Wales, we’re doing all we can to help conserve water and protect navigation where possible across the network.
“Temporarily suspending the requirement for boats without a home mooring to move every 14 days is one of those measures. The intention is to reduce non-essential journeys, helping to limit unnecessary lock use and conserve water while these exceptional conditions continue.
“We’re not asking people to stop boating. Where routes remain open and water resources allow, we want people to continue enjoying canals and rivers but to do so in a way that reduces water use as much as possible, for example sharing locks, waiting for oncoming boats and closing paddles. This temporary change simply gives boaters greater flexibility while helping to reduce pressure on the network.
“The suspension only applies to the 14-day movement requirement and does not affect short-stay moorings, which remain important for ensuring fair access to popular locations and facilities. We ask all boaters to continue respecting these time limits and be considerate of fellow boaters, towpath users and local communities.
“We’re grateful for the support boaters continue to show as we work together to manage the impact of drought on the waterways.”
The announcement comes as half of England and all of Wales have been declared in drought following weeks of exceptionally dry weather. In response, the Trust has activated its highest level of operational response and is redirecting resources towards projects that help retain water and keep boats moving where conditions allow, and introducing temporary closures and restrictions where necessary. The focus is on supporting navigation on key through-routes, waterways with high levels of boat traffic, and locations that support boating businesses.
The best and fastest way to stay informed about restrictions is by signing up to email or text message notifications via the Trust’s Notices section. Boaters can also view affected areas by filtering Notices by “Low Water Levels” and selecting “Map View”.
The Trust is asking boaters to report water levels that appear unusually low via its online contact form. Teams actively manage water levels and can carefully refill low pounds, investigate potential issues and help ensure moored boats remain safe.
More information for boaters can be found in the Trust’s drought FAQs and updates on how it is managing water across the canal network. The drought FAQs also include frequently asked questions for boaters without a home mooring whose cruising has been impacted by the current conditions.
Boaters who have a disability, access needs, or are otherwise experiencing difficulties because of drought-related restrictions can contact the Trust on [email protected] or 0303 040 4040.
