New research from the University of Manchester indcates that canals in Britain and Ireland can cool city neighbourhoods for up to 50 metres from their banks, helping to combat urban heating, especially during heatwaves.

The study found that canals cool their immediate surroundings during the day, typically extending 20–50 metres from the canal banks. Researchers noted that this cooling effect was at its greatest during the spring and early summer periods (c. −1.2°C to −1.4°C), and was particularly pronounced during heatwaves (June to August), with cooling of more than 2°C. The data also indicated that urban canals warmed their surroundings at night, but this effect was much smaller (c. +0.2°C).

The researchers concluded that the ‘results indicate that canals can improve thermal comfort and reduce heat risk, with related benefits for population health and wellbeing’.

Hourly data for the project sites in Britain was provided by the Open Weather app, (including air temperature, humidity, cloud cover, wind speed, and air pressure). In England, the Canal and River Trust provided access for urban data from the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, the Coventry Canal, the Huddersfield Canal, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the Nottingham and Beeston Canal, the Regent Canal, and the Shropshire Union Canal.

To read the full research follow this link: impact of canals on urban heat