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EPA launches monthly hydrometric bulletin for river flows and lake and groundwater levels

The EPA runs a national hydrometric monitoring programme which measures the flow in rivers, lake levels and groundwater levels at a network of over 350 stations across Ireland. The data is used for environmental assessment, research, and regulatory purposes.

One of the EPA’s goals is to make environmental information available to the public and our stakeholders in a timely and accessible manner.

This month we have commenced publication of a monthly National Hydrometric Bulletin.

The bulletin provides a factual summary of river flows, lake levels and groundwater levels for the previous month and also includes a comparison to historic monthly values.

The bulletin contains river flow and water level graphs for a sample of surface water and groundwater hydrometric stations across Ireland. The bulletin also contains maps which show how flows and levels at stations across the country compare to the average for the month.

The hydrometric data used in the publication is produced from the EPA/Local Authority and OPW hydrometric networks. The weather summary information contained in the bulletin is provided courtesy of Met Éireann.

Monitoring the water outflow form a lake

Learn more:

The first issue of the Monthly Hydrology Bulletin and all future issues will be available to download at this link:

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

Further details of the hydrometric stations and data downloads can be obtained from www.epa.ie/hydronet and www.waterlevel.ie

One of the remote controlled boats used by the EPA Hydrometrics Unit.

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.