Latest news and information about rivers and related issues in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Get more headlines and background by visiting our website. http://www.ukriver.net/index.html Sat, 6 Mar 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8516200.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8516200.stm The BBC takes us on a photo journey along Central Asia's longest river. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/hydro_electricenergy/7384533/British-rivers-could-power-850000-homes.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/hydro_electricenergy/7384533/British-rivers-could-power-850000-homes.html The Environment Agency is heralding a return to waterpower, but anglers (or, at least, the Anglers Trust) aren't convinced it's the way to go. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8551420.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8551420.stm Forget the polite lunch with the family, Gene Hodsdon had better plans! Sat, 6 Mar 2010 http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/humans-umustu-be-to-blame-for-climate-change-say-scientists-1916506.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/humans-umustu-be-to-blame-for-climate-change-say-scientists-1916506.html Climate scientists have presented a new barrage of evidence to confound their doubters. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 http://www.bwg.naturalengland.org.uk/http://www.bwg.naturalengland.org.uk/ Now is the ideal time to look at ways in which we can all help wildlife recover from the harshness of Britain's long, cold winter. Gardening in a wildlife-friendly way can considerably increase the diversity of plants and animals and create an oasis for species in decline such as hedgehogs, holly blue butterflies, song thrushes, bumble bees and stag beetles. Natural England's innovative Big Wildlife Garden website is the perfect place to get advice on how to invite wildlife into even the most humble garden this spring. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wrshttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wrs The Environment Agency has set out plans to help secure future water supplies and a healthy water environment in England and Wales. Water resources are already under pressure in many parts of England and Wales. In England, some 25 million people live in areas where there is less water available per person than Spain or Morocco. The average person in England and Wales currently uses 148 litres (260 pints) every day. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/116554.aspxhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/116554.aspx Thanks to a new sewage treatment works at Buxton, the River Wye between Buxton and Rowsley now contains more brown trout than virtually any other part of the Trent or its tributaries. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2010/100304a.htmhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2010/100304a.htm Grocery manufacturers and retailers have agreed to make significant cuts to food and packaging waste that could save customers and the industry GBP1 billion and cut carbon emissions by three million tonnes, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced.. Wed, 3 Mar 2010 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/mar/03/cleaning-up-river-thameshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/mar/03/cleaning-up-river-thames The Guardian has a short photo feature on this week's Thames 21 cleanup. Wed, 3 Mar 2010 http://www.buglife.org.uk/News/Wildlife+Destroying+Sheep+Dip+Finally+Withdrawnhttp://www.buglife.org.uk/News/Wildlife+Destroying+Sheep+Dip+Finally+Withdrawn Buglife is delighted that finally the Government and manufacturers of Cypermethrin sheep dip have today announced the withdrawal of all relevant product permissions. Synthetic pyrethroids (Cypermethrin) were 1000 times more toxic to wildlife than the pesticides that farmers were previously using to dip sheep. When it was in use it was estimated that about 1.5 billion animals in rivers, streams and ponds were being killed by Cypermethrin sheep dip every year. In addition 400 million litres of waste Cypermethrin was sprayed onto meadows and fields every year, causing untold destruction to butterflies and bees. Wed, 3 Mar 2010 http://www.sas.org.uk/pr/2010/annual-beach-clean-1.phphttp://www.sas.org.uk/pr/2010/annual-beach-clean-1.php To welcome spring, Surfers Against Sewage have been organising beach cleans around the UK. At Porthtowan in Cornwall there were over 80 volunteers collecting over 150 bags with a weight of 220kgs.