On Wednesday 9 July, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) along with members of the “Preserve & Protect the Mon & Brec Canal” group will gather outside the Senedd to call on Welsh Government ministers and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to act so that the future of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is secured for the next generation.
It will begin at 12:00pm, featuring a rally from 12:30–14:00 bringing together campaigners, canal businesses, local residents, and liveaboard boaters. Campaigners are seeking an immediate and sustainable solution to the water supply crisis affecting this iconic canal.
The Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal, a vital heritage waterway that has operated for over 225 years, is facing an existential threat due to NRW’s current abstraction licence. The licence severely restricts the flow of water into the canal. This is not because of drought or water shortage, but to protect the River Usk, a Special Area of Conservation. Yet the modelling used to inform this decision has proven unreliable, with the canal running dry just 10 days after reopening earlier this year.
Paul Thomas, IWA South West and South Wales Region Secretary, said:
“The canal’s future is hanging in the balance. Without immediate action this summer, the Mon & Brec could become unusable again by March 2026, with devastating consequences for businesses, boaters, wildlife and local communities.”
The temporary workaround in place involves CRT (Canal & River Trust) paying up to £1 million a year for additional water, this is not financially sustainable. The cost is diverting money from essential maintenance and dredging, putting the canal’s future further at risk.
A report last year showed that Britain’s inland boating and tourism sector alone contributes £7.6 billion annually to the UK economy [2]. If uncertainty continues, businesses will be unable to take bookings or plan for 2026. Liveaboard residents also face the real prospect of losing their homes.
IWA fully supports the protection of the River Usk, but warns that the current approach is deeply flawed.
Paul Thomas concluded:
“This isn’t just about boats and water, it is about people’s livelihoods, homes, wildlife, industrial heritage, health, and the very identity of the area.
“The canal and the Usk must be treated as a single, interconnected ecosystem and rivers and canals should not be seen to be in competition with each other.”
IWA is calling for the Welsh Government to step in now, and is putting forward a series of practical solutions, including:
- Reconvening the Usk & Wye Abstraction Group (UWAG) to review the flawed modelling and abstraction licence;
- Recognising the canal and river as a combined ecological system;
- Supporting CRT with grant funding and access to alternative water sources;
- Legislating for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to include navigable waterways in strategic water planning; and
- Create a dedicated project for the River Usk, similar to the existing Upper Wye Catchment Restoration scheme.
