Greater Manchester River Health: Flood Risk and Community Action 2026

Key Points

• In our third Community Conversations event hosted by the University of Manchester on 6th November 2026 we discussed who cares about Greater Manchester’s rivers? And what does this mean for their future?
• Our speakers shared their thoughts on why good river health matters – from environment to social responsibility.
• Professor Duncan Ivison opened the event with an emphasis on the importance of listening and shared knowledge, and learning through our differences. Dr Stephen Boult outlined how there are competing demands for rivers, such as their role in providing water supply, drainage, flood prevention, pollution removal, conservation and recreation. Dr Ian Thornhill invited people to see rivers as living entities. He also incorporated Indigenous views which do not differentiate between nature and culture.
• Dr Cecilia Skordilis talked about how cultural activities around water could help connect us better with our rivers.
• “More than 90% [of participants] said they would be happy to have even more recycled rainwater used at their homes… 75% were happy for this to come from their laundry or shower as long as there was enough water,” Dr Claire Hoolohan told the audience.
• Sam Evans, from Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), also spoke about how many local residents are facing flooding risks – 60,000 homes are at risk of being flooded by surface water, with an additional 20,000 affected by rivers.
• Representatives of United Utilities, the Angling Trust, Groundwork Greater Manchester and the Environment Agency participated on the civic panel and proposed initiatives including connecting river projects to students, volunteering and green skills, creating a shared vision, co-creating exhibitions, and involving artists, poets and musicians.
• Professor Ivison has now distilled these into four key themes — rivers and relationships, equity and access, knowledge and trust, and culture and practical ambition.
• The University added that discussion will continue on this issue with a follow up blog from Dr Ian Thornhill.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) November 06, 2026— The University of Manchester hosted its third Community Conversations event, bringing together academics, civic organisations and community representatives to examine who should care for Greater Manchester’s rivers and how the region can protect them.

Who Cares About Greater Manchester’s Rivers?

The event, titled Community Conversations explores the future of Greater Manchester’s rivers, was built around the question: “Who cares about Greater Manchester’s rivers?” According to the University of Manchester, the discussion brought together people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise to debate, disagree and work towards solutions for Greater Manchester.

The University described Community Conversations as a series of discussions designed to connect people with a wide range of perspectives. The aim, it said, was not simply to identify problems, but to explore practical ways in which research, local knowledge and institutional support could help improve the region’s rivers.

Opening the event, Professor Duncan Ivison stressed the importance of listening across different experiences and areas of expertise. As reported by the University of Manchester, he said:

“The spirit of the event is to learn from each other, listen to each other and share knowledge.”

What Demands Do Rivers Face?

A central theme of the discussion was that Greater Manchester’s rivers must serve many competing purposes. The University said rivers face demands relating to water supply, drainage, flood prevention, pollutant removal, conservation and recreation.

Dr Stephen Boult, Senior Lecturer in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, explored how balancing these demands is essential for a healthy river. According to the University’s report, he also argued that the issue raises wider social and political questions about what people expect from their rivers.

The discussion suggested that river management cannot be treated solely as an environmental or technical issue. Decisions about flood defence, water quality, recreation and conservation can affect different communities in different ways, particularly where access to green space and protection from flooding are unequal.

Should Rivers Be Seen as Living Entities?

Dr Ian Thornhill, Senior Lecturer in Planning, Property and Environmental Management, asked participants to look beyond the services rivers provide to people. As reported by the University of Manchester, he encouraged attendees to consider rivers as living entities with which communities have relationships.

Dr Thornhill drew on Indigenous perspectives that do not separate nature and culture. The University reported that he explored how a different understanding of rivers could change the way they are valued and treated.

This part of the conversation moved the discussion beyond water quality and infrastructure. It raised questions about whether communities see rivers as assets to be managed, places to be protected, or living systems with which people have a long-term relationship.

How Can Culture Strengthen River Protection?

The event also examined the role of everyday experiences in shaping people’s relationship with rivers. Dr Cecilia Skordilis, Reader in Earth and Environmental Sciences, explored how cultural activities around water can strengthen people’s affinity with rivers and encourage their protection.

According to the University of Manchester, Dr Skordilis highlighted the role universities can play through education and support for shared stewardship. Her contribution suggested that cultural engagement, learning and community participation may help people develop a stronger connection with local waterways.

The discussion indicated that protecting rivers may require more than regulation and investment. It may also depend on creating opportunities for people to spend time near water, take part in local activities and feel a sense of responsibility for the places around them.

Could Recycled Water Change Household Habits?

The conversation extended from rivers to homes, with Dr Claire Hoolohan, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering and Management, presenting findings on public attitudes to water reuse. As reported by the University of Manchester, more than 90% of people would happily use more recycled rainwater at home.

The same findings indicated that 75% of people would use water from laundry or showers to flush toilets. Dr Hoolohan also highlighted the need for clear responsibilities, fair costs, skills and accountability to make such changes possible.

These findings connected household water use with the health of wider river systems. The University’s report suggested that changes in homes and communities can form part of a broader approach to river care, alongside restoration, monitoring and institutional action.

What Does Flood Risk Reveal About Inequality?

The civic panel brought the discussion into the wider region, with Sam Evans of Greater Manchester Combined Authority chairing the session. According to the University of Manchester, Evans reported that 60,000 homes face surface-water flood risk, while a further 20,000 face river flood risk.

Evans connected these risks with health inequality and access to green space. The University reported that he placed fairness and shared responsibility at the centre of the conversation.

The figures highlighted why river policy is not only an environmental concern. Flooding can affect housing, health, safety and access to public space, making the distribution of risk and investment an important part of the debate.

Which Organisations Took Part?

The civic panel included Sarah Jenner of United Utilities, Alex Clegg of the Angling Trust, Lucy Stowell-Smith of Groundwork Greater Manchester and Katherine Causer of the Environment Agency. According to the University of Manchester, they discussed how investment, restoration, citizen monitoring and community engagement could work together.

Their contributions highlighted the need for collaboration across whole river catchments. The University explained that a catchment is the area of land that drains into a river, meaning river health depends on decisions and conditions across a wider geographic area rather than only along the riverbank.

The panel’s involvement reflected the range of organisations with a role in river management. Water companies, environmental charities, angling groups, regulators and local authorities all have different responsibilities, but the event suggested that none can address the challenges alone.

How Can Communities Take Action?

Participants explored how scientific evidence could work alongside local knowledge and citizen monitoring. The University of Manchester reported that trusted institutions and meaningful community participation were seen as important parts of this approach.

Feedback from table discussions produced a range of ideas. These included connecting river projects with students, volunteering and the development of green skills; creating a shared vision for the region’s rivers; and co-creating exhibitions about water, culture and river health.

Participants also suggested involving artists, poets and musicians in future work. The University said these ideas reflected an effort to bring rivers back into community life and make river health relevant beyond environmental policy and technical management.

What Themes Emerged From the Event?

Closing the event, Professor Duncan Ivison drew together four recurring themes: rivers and relationships; equity and access; knowledge and trust; and culture and practical ambition. According to the University of Manchester, these themes captured the main areas of discussion across the event.

The University said the discussions pointed towards a shared challenge: building healthier rivers through stronger relationships with the people and places they connect. It also posed the question of how Greater Manchester can bring research, community experience and institutional support together to care for its rivers and make the benefits accessible to surrounding communities.

The event did not announce a single policy or funding decision. Instead, it presented a range of perspectives on how river restoration, community engagement, cultural activity and fair access to green space could be connected.

What Happens After the Event?

The University of Manchester said the conversation will continue beyond the event through a follow-up blog by Dr Ian Thornhill. It added that it will continue to encourage further discussions, sharing of reflections and ideas for future collaboration with communities, colleagues and partners.

No specific follow-up projects, funding commitments or policy proposals were announced in the University’s report. The stated next step is the continuation of dialogue through the blog and future engagement with communities and partners.

Background of the Development

Community Conversations is a University of Manchester series that brings together people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise to discuss issues affecting Greater Manchester. The rivers event was the third in the series and was held on 6 November 2026.

The discussion came at a time when rivers face multiple pressures, including water supply, drainage, flood prevention, pollution removal, conservation and recreation. The University framed river health as an issue that connects environmental conditions with social responsibility, public access, inequality and everyday household behaviour.

The event brought together University of Manchester academics with representatives from Greater Manchester Combined Authority, United Utilities, the Angling Trust, Groundwork Greater Manchester and the Environment Agency. It also included discussion of citizen monitoring, volunteering, education, cultural activity and cross-catchment collaboration.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Greater Manchester Residents?

For Greater Manchester residents, the discussion could influence how river-related decisions are made in future. If community engagement, citizen monitoring and local knowledge become more central to river management, residents may have more opportunities to take part in decisions about local waterways, green space and flood resilience.

The reported flood-risk figures suggest that residents in areas affected by surface-water or river flooding may have a particular interest in how investment and responsibility are shared. The event’s emphasis on fairness and access could put greater attention on whether flood protection, restoration and green-space improvements reach the communities that face the greatest risks.

Households could also see more discussion of water reuse, including recycled rainwater and water from laundry or showers for toilet flushing. The University’s reported findings suggest public willingness to use such systems, although Dr Hoolohan’s comments indicated that clear responsibilities, fair costs, skills and accountability would be needed for change to happen.

For community groups, schools, volunteers and cultural organisations, the event may signal potential opportunities to take part in river-related projects. The ideas raised included student involvement, volunteering, green-skills development, exhibitions and artistic engagement with water and river health.

For policymakers and environmental organisations, the discussion may reinforce the case for working across river catchments rather than treating rivers as isolated local issues. The involvement of the Environment Agency, United Utilities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and community organisations suggests that future progress may depend on coordination between regulators, service providers, local authorities and residents.