Big River Watch FAQ’s

Rivers are suffering from sewage, plastic, chemical and nutrient pollution. To change this, we need to know where our rivers are having the problems and which problems are the most prevalent. The free and open Big River Watch survey is your chance to make a difference. Data gathered during Big River Watch can support policy change; helping turn the tide on plastics or stem the flow of untreated sewage. It also helps identify the best places for river clean-ups, or the creation of things like wetlands.

No, you do not need to be an existing volunteer with a local Rivers Trust or NGO. This app and experience are open to everyone - you just have to be able to access a river in the UK or Ireland during the weekend of 22-24th September 2023.

No. You do not need existing experience or knowledge on river health or river environments. In fact, we'd love for people who don’t know much about rivers yet to participate too.

Absolutely! You do not need to be a tech whizz, but you will need a smartphone that you can install apps on.

Yes. You will need to be able to visit a river in person during the weekend of the 22-25th September. It doesn't matter where you live, or whether your local river runs through a city, town or the countryside, as long as you complete the survey whilst looking at it.

A river is generally too wide for anyone to jump across (greater than 1.5m wide).

Yes. Please take a look at our health and safety pack here.