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Home News EPA Monthly Hydrology Bulletin Edition 006: October 2020

EPA Monthly Hydrology Bulletin Edition 006: October 2020

The Hydrology Bulletin for October is now on the EPA website. The bulletin is produced by the EPA in conjunction with Met Éireann, Geological Survey Ireland and the Office of Public Works.

Overview

The majority of meteorological stations recorded monthly rainfall totals above their long-term average for October. Parts of the south west, west and north west recorded well above the long-term average, with the Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry recording the month’s wettest day.

Rainfall map for Ireland October 2020 (Source: Met Eireann.ie)

Rivers

During October, most rivers were classed as normal, above normal or particularly high for this time of year.

Monthly average river flows for October 2020 relative to historic monthly average flows expressed as percentile of the long-term values of monthly flow. Numbered sites are represented in the hydrographs below. All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. (Source: EPA, OPW).

Lake and groundwater levels also rose across the country with all monitored lakes indicating normal or higher than normal levels and 88% of groundwater monitoring wells indicating normal or above normal levels for October.

Monthly average lake levels for October 2020 relative to historic monthly average levels expressed as percentile of the long- term values of October. Numbered sites are represented in the hydrographs below. All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. (Source: EPA, OPW)

Groundwater level and Spring Flow status October 2020, relative to historic October groundwater levels. Numbered sites are represented in the hydrographs below. All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. (Source: EPA)

Learn more:

All monthly hydrology bulletins are on the EPA website: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/flows/hydrometricbulletins/

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.