For the wider picture of the River Wye Catchment, see User:Yadsalohcin/Wye-kipedia

And for activities in other nearby waterbodies see Citizen Science in Neighbouring or near the Wye catchment

Citizen Science in the the River Wye Catchment was kicked off by the Wye Salmon Association (WSA) with Water Quality Monitoring activities; expansion in 2021 included FoUW and CPRE(H) coordinated by Elle vonBenzon at Cardiff University:

Citizen Science groups

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  • WUF (hosts of WCP; have procured kit for local groups)[1]
  • WSA[2] Subsequently WSA began soil monitoring with a study sampling across the Garren Brook subcatchment, reported via the NMB meeting of 28 September 2022.[3]
  • FoUW[4] See their report[5] to the EAC and the EAC report.[6] With consultancy from Mott MacDonald, FoUW have kicked off further efforts to coordinate CitSci across the catchment
  • FoLugg (through CPRW)[7]
  • FoDore[8]
  • GVAG (Golden Valley Action Group)[9]
  • Yazor Brook group[10]
  • Newton Brook group[11]
  • CPRE(H) (see CPRE)[12]
  • CPRW (See FoUW)[13]
  • FotLW[14]
  • WCCSA/BC9/TWA

Training

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A set of Citizen Science training manuals and videos is kept at WUF/WCP.[15]

Measurements

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What is measured:

  • All measure
    • Nitrates,
    • Phosphates (mostly via Hanna, some via Lamotte) and
    • water temperature
  • All except WSA measure
    • Turbidity and
    • Electrical conductivity
  • WSA measure
    • Total Dissolved Solids as an alternative to EC (note: there is no simple conversion between TDS and EC).
    • pH and
    • Ammoniacal Nitrogen
  • FOLW measure
    • Nitrites
  • CPRE Lugg measure
    • Water Level either below a bridge datum point or as Gauge board depth above Gauge Zero

Data acquisition app

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In the 'first phase', each group has its own version of a Data acquisition app hosted at EpiCollect5.[16]

Databases

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Each group's database is hosted at EpiCollect5. In the 'first phase', the column order across the different groups' databases does not match. As at early 2023, work is in hand through TWA (and with encouragement from FoUW/MottMacDonald) to coordinate a unified EC5 App which would have all columns (in the same order) in a single database.

Site locations

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Various maps have been produced to show the testing site locations at different stages of progression and for various purposes, e.g.

  • WCCSA 2021 Phosphate Levels, early 2022, (ca. March)- initially just to avoid duplicate sites[17]
  • Wye Catchment Citizen Science Alliance (WCCSA) Sampling points, 2022, June[18]
  • Sites on the Wye and Lugg main stems for matching with phosphate targets for specific waterbodies, 2023, March.[19]
  • Sites in the Lower Wye subcatchment covered by CPRE(H), FotLW, and WSA, 2023, March.[20]

Results

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The groups' databases at EpiCollect5 are mirrored by the WUF/WCP and downloaded by the EA. During the 'first phase', they are merging them and using them for input to their quarterly/ subsequently 6-monthly summary reports. They are sharing the merged set with NRW.

AdHoc

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Some preliminary demonstrations were created using 'Google MyMaps' to show the distribution of concentration of phosphates across the catchment:

  • 2021 Mean phosphate levels[21]
  • April '22 phosphate levels (WSA numbers were not available for this mapping)[22]
  • June 2022 phosphate levels (WSA numbers were not available for this mapping)[23]

Longer term

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For the FoUW, 'Tableau'[24] has been used to provide a fully interactive data visualisation. Via TWA and the FoUW/MM meetings, groups have gathered with the intention to adopt a uniform combined version of EpiCollect, feeding into a single database, with the possibility that the Tableau tool might be used to display results across the entire catchment at a page called 'WyeViz'.[25] As a preliminary interim step, a cut-down version has been produced showing phosphate levels across FotLW, FoUW and CPREH sites.[26]

Mapping

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Area shape files

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To assist with mapping the results, overlays of various areas have been found, including:

  • Waterbodies in the English part (c/o EA)[27]
  • Waterbodies in the Welsh part (c/o NRW)[28]

Files containing Multiple shapes may be read into G MyMaps, components removed, and then (ideally after re-naming the result in GMyMaps) the reduced set of shapes downloaded. kml files can be edited in any text editor.

Conversions between coordinate systems

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For checking individual locations, the page at gridreferencefinder is good (gives aerial view c/o iMaps).[29] Any form of input, many forms of output (w3w, 6-figure GR, 10-figure GR, GPS lat/long, Deg/min/sec lat/long, etc.

Batch conversion facilities between GR and GPS lat/long may be found at these[30] -despite its claims, one of the services I found seemed to only go in one direction...

But the best method I've found yet for converting batches between GR and GPS lat/long is at 'doogal.co.uk'.[31]

For converting batches between w3w and GPS lat/long, w3w have a tool.[32]

Interaction with regulatory authorities

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As at early 2023, the EA, NRW and DCWW are preparing positioning statements as regards their policy towards Citizen Science.

In their 2022 quarterly reports (which will become half-yearly in 2023), the EA began reporting Citizen Science results.

It is likely that the relationship with EA will transfer to being coordinated through CaSTCo.[33]

Other CitSci initiatives

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See for example Invertebrate sampling, Observational data

Instrumentation

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Algae via chlorophyll flourimetry

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Algal levels may be measured via chlorophyll flourimetry.[34][35]

References

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  1. ^ Citizen Science Groups /www.wyeuskfoundation.org, accessed 16 May 2022
  2. ^ Home WSA www.wyesalmon.com, accessed 16 May 2022
  3. ^ Garren Phosphates Soil Study WSA via councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk, accessed 18 October 2022
  4. ^ Ffrindiau’r Afon Gwy Uchaf Friends of the Upper Wye www.fouw.org.uk, accessed 16 May 2022
  5. ^ Friends of the Upper Wye WQR0094 Written evidence from Friends of the Upper Wye committees.parliament.uk, accessed 6 November 2022
  6. ^ Water quality in rivers: Fourth Report of Session 2021–22 publications.parliament.uk, accessed 6 November 2022
  7. ^ Friends of the Lugg – Citizen Science Monitoring Project www.brecon-and-radnor-cprw.wales, accessed 16 May 2022
  8. ^ River Dore Citizen Science (@RiverDore) | Twitter twitter.com
  9. ^ Golden Valley Action Group goldenvalleyactiongroup.org, accessed 16 May 2022
  10. ^ Yazor Brook www.richardbavin.com, accessed 16 May 2022
  11. ^ Newton Brook www.herefordvoice.co.uk/forums, accessed 16 May 2022
  12. ^ For a thriving countryside that benefits everyone www.cpreherefordshire.org.uk, accessed 16 May 2022
  13. ^ BRECON & RADNOR BRANCH OF CPRW www.brecon-and-radnor-cprw.wales
  14. ^ Friends of the Lower Wye www.facebook.com, accessed 16 May 2022
  15. ^ Wye Catchment Collaborative Monitoring Network (Resources) www.wyeuskfoundation.org, accessed 12 March 2023
  16. ^ Free and easy-to-use mobile data-gathering platform. five.epicollect.net, accessed 12 March 2023
  17. ^ WCCSA 2021 Phosphate Levels ca 2022, March, modified 17 August 2022, N Day, www.google.com/maps accessed 29 March 2023
  18. ^ Wye Catchment Citizen Science Alliance (WCCSA) Sampling points 24 June 2022, N Day, www.google.com/maps accessed 29 March 2023
  19. ^ Sites on the Wye and Lugg main stems for matching with phosphate targets for specific waterbodies. 28 March 2023 M Carpenter, www.google.com/maps accessed 29 March 2023
  20. ^ CitSci Locations in the Lower Wye Catchment www.google.com MyMaps, accessed 31 March 2023
  21. ^ Wye Catchment Citizen Science Alliance (WCCSA) Sampling points with mean 2021 Phosphate Levels www.google.com/maps, accessed 12 March 2023
  22. ^ Phosphate Levels For GMyMaps 2022_04 Means ('Rivers various') www.google.com/maps, accessed 12 March 2023
  23. ^ WCCSA 2021 and June22 Phosphate Levels www.google.com/maps, accessed 12 March 2023
  24. ^ Tableau 'The world’s leading analytics platform.' tableau.com, accessed 1 April 2023
  25. ^ Welcome to WyeViz public.tableau.com, accessed 1 April 2023
  26. ^ Combined Phosphate Analysis by MCarpenter public.tableau.com, accessed 1 April 2023
  27. ^ Defra Spatial Data Download environment.data.gov.uk, accessed 14 March 2023
  28. ^ DataMapWales Metadata : Water Framework Directive (WFD) River Waterbodies Cycle 1 datamap.gov.wales, accessed 14 March 2023
  29. ^ Conversions between / checking individual location details gridreferencefinder.com, accessed 1 April 2023
  30. ^ Example of Batch conversion facilities between GR and GPS lat/long British Geological Survey, webapps.bgs.ac.uk, accessed 1 April 2023
  31. ^ Batch conversion facilities between GR and GPS lat/long www.doogal.co.uk, accessed 1 April 2023
  32. ^ converting batches between w3w and GPS lat/long what3words.com, accessed 1 April 2023
  33. ^ CaSTCo – Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative theriverstrust.org, accessed 12 March 2023
  34. ^ The Basics of Chlorophyll Measurement in Surface Water Patrick Higgins 27 June 2014, www.ysi.com, accessed 4 June 2023
  35. ^ A field-deployable and handheld fluorometer for environmental water quality monitoring Young-Ho Shin, M. Teresa Gutierrez-Wing & Jin-Woo Choi, 18 December 2018 Micro and Nano Systems Letters volume 6, Article number: 16 (2018), accessed 4 June 2023