Since 2025, University of Manchester researchers modelled 2,300 urban canal sections across Great Britain and Ireland. Now, the study shows canals can lower nearby temperatures by as much as 2.3°C during heatwaves

Urban canals cooling : As cities deal with hotter and more frequent heatwaves, an unexpected source of relief could already be running through them: urban canals.

Researchers at the University of Manchester modelled more than 2,300 canal sections across Great Britain and Ireland to understand how much these waterways can cool their surroundings. Their findings suggest canals lower nearby daytime temperatures by about 0.8°C on average, with the effect becoming much stronger during heatwaves.