Crowdwater River Flow
The impact of climate change on future river flows are likely to be significant, with flooding and drought affecting infrastructure, water quality, and our supply of drinking water. Many rivers and streams, particularly small upland streams, are not gauged – that is, the river flow is not routinely measured. River flow data is very important for environmental managers to show patterns and to predict and plan for future changes in flow because of changing climates.
Crowdwater also allows the public to install a ‘virtual river gauge’ on the bank of a river or stream simply by taking a photograph. Once ‘installed,’ this virtual river gauge will be available for others to record their observations. These data points are then collected and analysed by scientists at the University of Zurich as well as at Aberystwyth University and University College Dublin.
Crowdwater Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems facing the world. Plastics, either large pieces or much smaller microplastics, are often transported by our rivers and ultimately reach our oceans. These plastics can be ingested by animals and become part of food webs, causing significant harm to wildlife and contributing to the nature emergency.
Crowdwater is a citizen science app that allows you to record examples of plastics in river channels and along river banks. These data points are then collected and analysed by scientists at the University of Zurich as well as at Aberystwyth University and University College Dublin. The data can then be used to identify the degree of plastic pollution in a particular area and hotspots of plastic pollution. This in turn can help environmental managers to tackle the problem.