Community efforts to protect water quality in the Severn Estuary
Throughout November and December, Sam (Community Engagement Officer) and Josh (Natural Heritage Officer) have been working alongside the Severn Estuary Partnership to support FreshWater Watch. FreshWater Watch is a global citizen science initiative led by Earthwatch Europe. This collaboration is part of the larger Natur Am Byth! and ‘#NNF2 Partnership delivery of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) improvements in Wales’ projects, funded through the Nature Networks Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The overall aim of the project is to lead the way in nature recovery and improve the resilience of MPAs in Wales.
Freshwater environments worldwide face significant threats from man-made pollutants, particularly excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates. While these nutrients are naturally occurring and essential for plant growth, human activities, such as industrial and domestic waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff, have led to unnaturally high levels in our freshwater systems. This overabundance of nutrients can result in a harmful process called eutrophication, where excess plant growth depletes oxygen levels, reducing biodiversity and harming aquatic ecosystems.
FreshWater Watch aims to engage local communities in the monitoring and protection of freshwater ecosystems. By collecting data on water quality, participants help to improve understanding of these environments and help to track the impact of restoration efforts. The project simplifies water quality testing, allowing volunteers to make basic visual observations and document factors such as land use, pollution sources, and algae growth. Easy-to-use water chemistry kits also allow participants to measure nitrate and phosphate levels - key indicators of water quality.
In Wales, six regions were selected for water quality testing: Anglesey, Gwynedd, the Severn Estuary, Ceredigion, Carmarthen & The Gower, and Pembrokeshire. Over the course of two months, volunteers contributed over 650 data entries from more than 400 sites, with 34 of these recorded here on the Gwent Levels. Early analysis shows concerning results for the Severn Estuary, with more than half of the sites indicating unacceptable water quality (moderate or poor). In contrast, most sites in Northern Wales (Gwynedd and Anglesey) demonstrated good water quality. Further analysis will be conducted to explore these results and will be shared in an upcoming online webinar.
Further analysis will be conducted to explore these differences and will be shared in an upcoming online webinar on Tuesday 28th Jan 7.30-8.30pm. The results from all six regions monitored will be shared as well as discussing what happens with the data next. Please click here to register for the event which will be held on Microsoft Teams.
For those passionate about citizen science and water quality, the FreshWater Watch website offers more information on how you can monitor and report on your local freshwater sites - https://www.freshwaterwatch.org/pages/get-involved
As we move forward with the Living Levels programme, we hope that water monitoring will play a key role in understanding the health of our local ecosystems. Ongoing water testing will be vital in assessing the condition of the reens and ditches across the Gwent Levels. Long-term monitoring is essential for spotting seasonal patterns and tracking pollution trends, helping us protect and preserve these vital habitats.
