Catchment News

Home News Citizen scientists needed to measure levels in Irish rivers in 2023

Citizen scientists needed to measure levels in Irish rivers in 2023

A EPA-funded research project on river flows and ecology are looking for citizen scientist volunteers who can contribute to their project by taking regular water level measurements from their local rivers in 2023. These measurements will be taken using a smartphone app.

The project will hold a number of webinars in December 2022 and January 2023, to provide an overview of the project, and information on what will be required of citizen scientists who volunteer for the project.

We need citizen scientists to take water level measurements from Irish rivers in 2023, using a smartphone app. If interested in volunteering please attend one of our webinars on Weds 7th Dec 6-7pm, or Fri 9th Dec 1-2pm. More info & links to webinars here: https://t.co/OcM8qwqP0M pic.twitter.com/fkYl6k74Fe
— River Flow and Ecology (@FlowEcology) November 30, 2022

These measurements will be taken using the CrowdWater App, a smartphone App developed by the University of Zurich, and used by citizen scientists to monitor rivers throughout Europe.

They will follow this up with practical demonstrations of the CrowdWater App at a number of river sites around the country for those who volunteer. Monitoring of rivers using the CrowdWater App will commence in March 2023.

Learn more:

The Flow Ecology website has further details and a form where you can submit your details if you are interested: www.flowecology.com/citizen-science/

The first webinar is on Wednesday 7 December, 18.00-19.00. You can join by clicking on this link.

The second webinar is on Friday 9 December, 13.00-14.00. You can join by clicking on this link.

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who 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.