Catchment News

Hydrology Bulletin – August 2020

The Hydrology Bulletin for August is now on the EPA website. The bulletin is produced by the EPA in conjunction with Met Éireann, Geological Survey Ireland and the Office of Public Works.

Overview for August 2020

The majority of monthly rainfall totals were above their Long-Term Average for August. The highest rainfall totals were recorded in the south west and west of the country with the Sherkin Island station recording its wettest August since 1986.

During August, most rivers were above their long-term monthly average flow, with 94% recording flows above normal for this time of year. Lake and groundwater levels also rose across the country with 86% of the monitored lakes and 82% of groundwater monitoring wells indicating normal or above normal levels for August.

Learn more:

www.epa.ie/water/wm/hydrometrics/bulletins/

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.

LAWCO

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.

EPA

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.

DECLG

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.