10 July 2026
Whitewater Summer Party – 2026
The Whitewater Valley Conservation Society (WVCS) is holding its Annual Whitewater drinks party at 12 noon on Sunday 31st August on the bank...
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Hampshire's chalkstream · in trust since 1980
Nine miles of one of the rarest rivers on Earth
The River Whitewater is one of only about 265 chalkstreams in the world: gin-clear water rising from the chalk at Bidden and flowing north to meet the Blackwater. We exist to keep it that way.
~265
chalkstreams on Earth, 85% of them in England
9 miles
of the Whitewater, from its source at Bidden to the River Blackwater
1980
the year our founders first stood up for the valley
100+
donors, parish councils and riparian owners behind us
A rare chalkstream
Clear, cool and constant: a river filtered by chalk
Rain falling on the Hampshire downs percolates through chalk for months before rising again as springs. The result is a river of exceptional clarity and stable temperature: alkaline, mineral-rich water that supports an abundance of life, from ranunculus and mayfly to wild brown trout.
The Whitewater is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, with Sites of Special Scientific Interest along its length. Hart District Council's own Landscape Character Assessment recognises the special character of the valley, and the duty to protect it.
Watch
From Dipley Mill to Poachers Pool
A short film from the Society, following one stretch of the River Whitewater.
Life in the Whitewater
What lives here is worth defending
Kingfishers & waterbirds
The flash of a kingfisher is the river's signature. Clean, clear water keeps the small fish they hunt in good supply.
Wild brown trout
Trout need clean gravel and cool, steady flows to spawn. Restoring the riffles near Hook is part of giving them that back.
Mayflies & riverflies
Mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies spend most of their lives in the riverbed. Counting them is the clearest read we have on the river’s health.
Why the Society exists
A valley under pressure
Water abstraction, large-scale solar, warehousing and housing allocations all press on the Whitewater. We scrutinise every proposal, and object wherever the river or its landscape would be harmed.
See what's at stake: all developments →"A living Whitewater, clear, cool and full of life, protected from inappropriate development for the generations who follow."
The vision of the Whitewater Valley Conservation Society
Get involved
Stand with the valley
Individuals, local interest groups, parish councils and riparian owners already support the Society. Their voices give weight to every objection we raise.
Supporters are invited to our Annual General Meeting and to at least one gathering a year on the banks of the Whitewater, with updates on planning, the state of the river, and the work ahead. All we ask is a modest annual subscription.
Useful information
Explore the valley and its network
The organisations we work alongside, the councils that make the decisions, and three walks that show you the river itself.
