The aim of the Panel is to facilitate knowledge exchange in different forms:
- From restoration groups to IWA – identification of current problems and opportunities for restoration and giving input to specific questions posed by IWA.
- From the IWA to restoration groups – e.g. legislative and national stakeholder updates.
- To help restoration groups communicate with each other – sharing knowledge and exchanging technical support.
The input from restoration groups will be a key input to IWA’s restoration work programme.
The Panel will hold regular face-to-face and online gatherings to do this, and all restoration groups are invited to nominate a delegate to the Panel (please email the Panel Chair [email protected]). The Panel’s first meeting was held on 22nd August 2026 in Droitwich. Documents from the meeting:
- List of Attendees
- Briefing on CDM Regulations
- Presentations delivered at the meeting
- November 2022 report on waterway restoration challenges and opportunities
- Canal & River Trust’s Restoration Delivery Plan
We welcome suggestions for topics that we might address at Panel meetings.
A map of the UK waterways can be found here. The waterways that are under restoration, or for which there are, or have been, restoration proposals are shown in black, and proposed new waterways are in green. Waterways that no one is currently planning to restore are in red. The waterways on the map can clicked on to show their name and a link to the web page for that waterway. The waterways are also listed here and there are links to each waterway restoration group on the individual waterway page.
There are other useful waterway restoration maps at https://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/maps-free-for-restoration-projects/
We look forward to meeting Restoration Group delegates at our meetings.
Andy Keane
Chair IWA Restoration Panel
