SmartRivers is WildFish’s UK-wide citizen science program using invertebrates to assess river health. It is the highest level of volunteer river invertebrate monitoring available & the only scheme providing data in a scientifically robust format directly comparable to that collected by policymakers
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Freshwater biodiversity is declining quicker than any other ecosystem. Rivers have depleted species diversity & reduced populations due to pressures like sewage, chemicals, agriculture pollution, barriers & overabstraction. There is a critical lack of monitoring by regulatory agencies leading to a decline in information on river health. Comprehensive monitoring is essential for environmental protection regimes. Without it we are unable to truly understand & improve the condition of our rivers
Solution
Almost a third less water quality samples were taken by the Environment Agency in 2022 compared to 2019. By expanding the SmartRivers program, WildFish will continue to help fill these monitoring gaps through quality citizen science. We are also working with the Environment Agency (EA) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to determine how SmartRivers data can be integrated into their decision-making
