Citizen Science: 10 ways you can get involved in the fight for cleaner rivers
Our rivers are in a bad state and more and more of us want to know how we can help. Enter: citizen science — where members of the public help collect data and contribute to scientific knowledge.
02/09/24
Our rivers are in a bad state and more and more of us want to know how we can help. Our State of Our Rivers Report 2024 shared that not a single river stretch in England meets good overall health standards according to the most recent government monitoring data, and 85% of river stretches fall below good ecological standards.
This broad picture is helpful, but when it comes to planning effective action for our waterways, broad strokes alone simply aren’t enough. We need more data on the health of our rivers to be able to paint a more detailed picture of what’s happening in our rivers, so that we can accurately pinpoint the pressures they’re under and plan the best restoration action. This data gap also provides opportunities for those keen to support cleaning up our rivers. Enter: citizen science.
Citizen science—where members of the public help collect data and contribute to scientific knowledge—is a valuable tool for improving our understanding of river health and mobilizing local communities. From salmon spotting to nitrate testing, here are some fantastic ways you can take part in river-focused citizen science projects across the UK and Ireland.
1. Big River Watch: September & May [UK & Ireland]
Twice a year, we call on everyone to spend 15 minutes observing their local river, answering a few questions about what you can see (from wildlife and water colour to signs of pollution) using the free Big River Watch survey app. All of this data helps us to get a clearer picture of river health across the UK and Ireland, identify issues and support our fight for cleaner waters. So far over 9,000 people have taken part in a Big River Watch, with the next one taking place between 6th-12th September. Download the app and sign up to take part here, and explore the data from our previous two Big River Watches in our data dashboard.
2. Essex RiverWatch: Year-round, monthly [Essex & parts of Suffolk]
In 2023, only 6 out of 91 stretches of river in Essex were classified as being good ecological quality. This regular citizen science project aims to collect information about rivers to help Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust and the Essex River Hub target where action is needed. Participation includes simple observation surveys and monthly water sample testing; you can measure water temperature, total dissolved solids, turbidity, ammonia, nitrates and phosphates. Join the Essex RiverWatch.
3. EMPOWER Rivers: Year-round [London]
Thames21 has recently launched a project called EMPOWER Rivers. A major focus is working with volunteers to monitor water quality so we can better tackle pollution in London’s rivers. Thames21 has been supplying citizen scientists with equipment to survey riverflies and measure ammonia and phosphate levels via a community grant scheme, and volunteers then submit their data to WaterRangers so all data is open and accessible. Soon they’ll be launching a training course on water quality monitoring to ensure data collection is safe and robust, too. Find out how to get involved here.
4. Bristol Avon Rivers Trust RiverBlitz: July [Bristol & surrounding areas]
Each summer, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust run their annual RiverBlitz during which anyone around the Bristol Avon catchment can help gather data on river health. Taking part in the RiverBlitz includes testing water samples for phosphate and nitrate levels, and sharing visual observations of the river and banks through an online form. Advance sign-up is required so that test kits can be posted to you in time. Alternatively, some events are run locally at which you can pick up your test kit. See the results of the 2024 RiverBlitz here and sign up for Bristol Avon Rivers Trust’s email newsletter to be the first to sign up when the 2025 dates are released.
5. Great UK WaterBlitz: September & April [UK]
Each year, over a weekend in September and another in April, our friends at EarthWatch run the Great UK WaterBlitz. We're supporting them in asking people across the UK to go out and measure the water quality of their local rivers, with a simple water monitoring toolkit to detect nutrient pollution. You’ll need to sign up via the website and a kit with instructions will be sent to you so that you’re able to record nitrate and phosphate levels in your local river. Registrations are open for the next Spring WaterBliz, sign up here.
6. Westcountry Citizen Science Investigations: Monthly, year-round [South-West]
If you’re based in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset or west Dorset, you may be able to sign up to be part of Westcountry Rivers Trust’s (WRT) Westcountry CSI scheme and help provide valuable data on a river stretch close to you. Read the training manual and sign up via the website, then the team will identify a range of potential sampling points nearby to you. Choose one (or more!) that you’re able to visit safely and at least once a month, and you’ll receive your river testing kit via post. You’ll test your river sample for levels of phosphates, dissolved solids (minerals, salts and metals), turbidity and note the water temperature, recording it in the Cartographer app. Once 12 or more samples have been collected over the course of a year, a scorecard for the waterbody is then generated, where the data is averaged to produce a 'letter grade' to describe the water quality.
7. Wensum Water Quality Monitoring: Year-round [Wensum, Norfolk]
The river Wensum, the largest chalk-fed river in Norfolk, is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). However, the Wensum faces various challenges including pollution. Join Norfolk Rivers Trust’s fantastic group of citizen scientists who are providing vital data to support the Wensum Catchment Partnership in developing and implementing water quality solutions. Importantly, this project moves away from speculating about what is going on and focusses instead on dealing with what is actually there. To get involved and become a citizen scientist volunteer, email Elle ([email protected]), and you’ll be given training and a data collection app to use.
8. Riverfly Monitoring: April-Oct [North Norfolk]
Did you know that riverflies are often referred to as the ‘canaries’ of the river? This is because their presence (or absence) can indicate the health of our water ecosystems. Norfolk Rivers Trust is currently implementing riverfly monitoring across several chalk rivers in North Norfolk. Sign up to become a volunteer riverfly monitor with the project and you'll receive training on how to sample, identify, and report riverfly data to the national riverfly database. If you’re based locally and want to get involved, please email [email protected].
9. Salmon Spotting: Year-round [Don Catchment]
The Atlantic Salmon is an iconic British river species but in recent decades has experienced a large decline. This is partly due to the increase in freshwater pollutants, a loss of good breeding habitat, an increase in average river water temperatures due to climate change, and the widespread installation of barriers such as weirs that hinder their migratory journeys. After creating weir fish passes and removing a weir, Don Catchment Rivers Trust wants to know when you spot salmon in the River Don, to better understand how the species is using this new salmon superhighway. Click here to find out more about recording your salmon sightings, and here to explore other citizen science opportunities with Don Catchment Rivers Trust.
10. Butterfly and Dragonfly Surveys: May-September [Doncaster]
Throughout the summer, Don Catchment Rivers Trust (DCRT) undertake butterfly and dragonfly surveys in Doncaster, where we get up close to these fascinating species. These surveys occur once a month at Great Ings, Fishlake and Sprotbrough Ings, Sprotbrough from May until September with drinks and biscuits provided too! To get involved, check the DCRT events calendar for the next survey and register your interest via email.
11. Wetland Bird Survey (WeBs count) in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Year-round [Doncaster]
Join Don Catchment Rivers Trust (DCRT) on a wetland bird survey. No matter your bird knowledge, these events are fantastic opportunities to practice and learn birding identification skills, as well as contributing to the BTO’s Core Counts records (read more about core counts here). Refreshments provided too!
Have you got a river citizen science project or event to add to this list? Get in touch with us via social media @theriverstrust or email [email protected].
Want to find out about the citizen science opportunities in your area?
Visit our Member Trust map to find your local Rivers Trust, learn about their work and discover exciting projects and initiatives to take part in.