Water and rivers

Rivers in Bristol

The River Avon, sometimes called the Bristol Avon, flows from east to west through Bristol via the Floating Harbour and through the spectacular Avon Gorge to the Severn Estuary. The River Avon is fed by many tributaries on its journey through Bristol. A citywide map is available to view:

• The big blue map of Bristol (pdf, 311 KB).

Water quality results

Bristol's rivers, Floating Harbour and park lakes are routinely tested.  See water quality for more information.

River walk guides, maps and river group activities

• Bristol rivers website.

South Bristol Riverscapes Project

This Heritage Lottery funded project has finished.  The final report is available in hard copy at Bishopsworth Library and the Central Library, or you can download a copy below:

• South Bristol Riverscapes Project Report (pdf, 4.3 MB)
• Appendix 1 - Community River Walks (pdf, 2.2 MB).
• Appendix 2 - Specialist groups. (pdf, 387 KB)
• Appendix 3 - Audiotrails (pdf, 186 KB).
• Appendix 4 - Self guided leaflets (pdf, 1.3 MB).
• Appendix 5 - Signing the Malago (pdf, 1.9 MB).
• Appendix 6 - Exhibitions (pdf, 1.9 MB).
• Appendix 7 - Website (pdf, 58 KB).
• Appendix 8 - Malago Valley Conservation Group (pdf, 3.3 MB).
• Appendix 9 - Kingfisher Group (pdf, 0.6 MB).
• Appendix 10 - Friends of Nightingale Valley (pdf, 2.7 MB).
• Appendix 11 - Friends of the New Avon Cut (pdf, 0.7 MB).
• Appendix 12 - Contacting potential groups (pdf, 183 KB).
• Appendix 13 - Ashton Vale Heritage Group (pdf, 0.8 MB).
• Appendix 14 - New groups involvement (pdf, 158 KB).
• Appendix 15 - Funding proposal (pdf, 65 KB).

Discover Brislington Brook Project, 2011 to 2014

This Heritage Lottery funded project works with youth groups, community groups, schools, volunteers and other organisations on river related activities.  It provides opportunities for learning, participation and conservation.

It is led by Brislington Community Partnership and supported by Bristol City Council and Young Bristol.  Please contact:

Rowan Matthiessen, Co-ordinator (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays)
Telephone:  0117 922 3407
Email:  rowan.matthiessen@bristol.gov.uk

The Get on Board Campaign

This is a multi partnership campaign to protect and improve the Floating Harbour water environment.

• Download the Get on Board information leaflet (pdf, 460 KB).

The Water Awards Scheme

This scheme recognises and rewards boats moored in Bristol’s Floating Harbour that follow good environmental wastewater disposal. The scheme precedes waste disposal checks planned for  2011/12 for all boats with a mooring agreement / license. Commercial water award recipients:

• Glassboat and Spyglass.
• Grain Barge

All boat owners in the harbour are encouraged to apply for the award.

• Boaters technical advice request form (pdf, 120 KB).
• Boaters Water Awards Scheme application form (pdf, 0.5 MB).
• Pump out information leaflet (pdf, 0.6 MB).

Operation Streamclean

An investigation team identifies properties with illegal wrongly connected drainage to improve water quality in rivers. This is a tri-partite initiative with The Environment Agency and Wessex Water.  View advice leaflets on making the right drainage connections at properties below:

• Advice for homeowners (pdf, 199 KB).
• Doing some plumbing? (pdf, 216 KB)
• Advice for new builds and extensions (pdf, 171 KB).

Operation Streamclean is a local initiative.

Connect Right is the national campaign working to identify illegal drainage connections in the UK.

Avon Invasive Weeds Forum

Invasive weed species such as Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed are spreading rapidly along Bristol's rivers and streams.

For information on surveys, control and volunteer eradication events contact:

Vicky Freke, Invasive Weeds Project Officer
Email: vicky.freke@bristol.gov.uk 
Web: www.aiwf.org.uk

Sustainable urban drainage and green roofs

Please contact us to request a set of national and local case studies.