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Hydrology Summary Bulletin – June 2020

The EPA runs a national hydrometric monitoring programme which measures the flow in rivers, lake levels and groundwater levels at a network of over 350 stations across Ireland. The data is used for environmental assessment, research, and regulatory purposes.

The EPA are publishing monthly hydrology bulletins. The June 2020 bulletin is now available.

Overview for June 2020

The majority of rainfall stations recorded monthly rainfall totals above their long-term average for June. The highest daily rainfall total was 53.6 mm at Newport, Co Mayo on the 28th (its wettest June day on record (length 60 years)).

During June, most rivers fell below their long-term monthly average flow, with over 59% recording flows below normal for this time of year, mainly in the east, southeast and Shannon regions. Higher rainfall across the west and northwest towards the end of the month allowed most rivers in these regions to recover to normal or above normal flows for June.

Lake and groundwater levels also fell across the country, both to record low levels in some cases, with 80% of the assessed lakes and 73% of groundwater monitoring wells showing below normal levels for June.

Declining groundwater levels observed in some monitored wells across the country indicates a slower response time to the heavy rainfall events experienced towards the end of the month compared to the more rapid response observed in rivers.

River flows, lake & groundwater levels, June 2020

Learn more:

The June issue of the Monthly Hydrology Bulletin and all future issues will be available to download at this link: http://www.epa.ie/water/wm/hydrometrics/bulletins/

Further details of the hydrometric stations and data downloads can be obtained from www.epa.ie/hydronet and www.waterlevel.ie

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.