Citizen science online: learning to identify Ireland’s Dragonflies and Damselflies
Dragonflies and damselflies are beautiful creatures. Their presence near freshwater can provide a useful indicator of water quality. Dave Wall, […]
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Articles by category
Friends of Rossmore Forest Park bash some Himalayan balsam
Bernie O’Hanrahan tells us how the Friends of Rossmore Park in Monaghan are learning how to manage the invasive species […]
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Anglers in border region scale up lake monitoring
The Local Authority Waters Programme is helping anglers in the border region monitor their lakes using innovative citizen science techniques. […]
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Explore your shore: volunteer to explore Irish coastal biodiversity
Dave Wall from the National Biodiversity Data Centre tells us how you can help map our marine biodiversity with the […]
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Citizen Science: how you can help monitor and understand your local environment
The EPA is working on citizen science in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, An Taisce and others. Citizens […]
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What’s the Story of Your Stuff?
The Story of Your Stuff is a competition aimed at second-level students. Let’s get thinking about… stuff! Consider what your […]
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If rivers could talk…
We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future […]
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The Community Water Development Fund 2020
The Community Water Development Fund 2020 was launched at the inaugural ‘Rivers Trusts and Catchment Partnerships Conference’ in the Hudson Bay […]
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LEADER – Working with water and biodiversity: a guide for community groups
The Local Authority Waters Programme has written guidance for communities on environmental projects that can be funded through the LEADER […]
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StreamScapes: 30 years of working with communities
Mark Boyden from StreamScapes tells us about how over the last three decades StreamScapes has inspired local communities around Ireland […]
Read MoreWho is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.
This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
Local Authority Waters Programme
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.