Catchment News

Home News Hydrology Summary Bulletin for February 2023

Hydrology Summary Bulletin for February 2023

The Hydrology Summary Bulletin for February 2023 has information on the flows in rivers, rainfall, lake levels, groundwater levels and spring outflows of over 300 stations across Ireland. Ireland is not experiencing the same inter annual drought seen across Europe since 2018, but this year we’re seeing unusually low rainfall, flows & water levels which may lead to more active water management decisions being made later this year.

Overview

Rainfall was below average everywhere, driest in the south and east of the country.

Average river flows were below the long-term average at almost all (96%) of river monitoring stations across most of the country in February 2023. Only the most northern and western parts of the country observed average river flows in the ‘normal’ range for this time of year.

Lake levels also fell during February with 58% of monitored lakes below the long-term average for this month. Average monthly groundwater levels also fell during February.

Almost three-quarters (71%) of monitoring wells were below the long-term monthly average. Similarly, almost all monitored spring outflows were below normal for this time of year.

Localised drought conditions in February meant most river flows were below long-term average.

Ireland avoided the ongoing European drought as levels/flows recovered since 2018 lows. Continued low rainfall may require water resource management this summer.https://t.co/ERaZwsc7jj pic.twitter.com/Gl926NS9lG
— EPA Catchments (@EPACatchments) March 7, 2023

Learn more:

The February 2023 hydrology bulletin can be downloaded here:

https://www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring–assessment/freshwater–marine/hydrology-bulletin/hydrology-bulletin/hydrology-summary-bulletin—february-2023.php

A map of Ireland showing how much water is flowing through our rivers in February 2023 compared to the long term average. Almost the entire map shows Red and Orange dots with red indicating 'Particularly Low' flows and orange indicating 'below normal'. The only green dots indicating 'Normal Flow' are three in North Mayo and 4 in Donegal. — A map of Ireland showing how much water is flowing through our rivers in February 2023 compared to the long term average.

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

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.

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.

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.

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.