Assessing river water quality - EPA fact sheet
This Plain English fact sheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring and assessing Ireland’s rivers. , April 2023
Year: 2023
Ireland has more than 73,000 km of river channels. If placed end-to-end, they could encircle the Earth almost twice. Three-quarters of these channels are very small streams that typically flow into larger rivers.
Assessing marine water quality - EPA fact sheet
This Plain English fact sheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring and assessing Ireland’s marine environment. , April 2023
Year: 2023
Ecologically healthy marine waters are a valuable natural resource. They support a rich and diverse range of ecosystems, habitats and species, and they are also a source of food – from wild fisheries and aquaculture. They are also important for recreational activities and tourism.
Assigning WFD Status to Unmonitored Water Bodies in 2013-2018
A technical report outlining the methodologies used in surface waters and groundwaters, December 2022
Year: 2022
The purpose of this technical paper is to outline how status is assigned to the remaining unmonitored surface waters and groundwaters.
Water Quality Monitoring Report on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations in Irish Waters 2021
This report provides an update on the results of water quality monitoring to support the assessment of the impact of the nitrate’s derogation on Irish waters, as required under Regulation 38 of the European Union (Good Agricultural Practices for the Protection of Waters) (Amendment) Regulations. , November 2022
Year: 2022
The data contained in this report finds that nitrate concentrations remain too high in rivers, groundwater and estuaries in the south east and along the southern seaboard. Nationally, although there has been year on year fluctuation in the average nitrate concentration, its apparent that average nitrate concentrations have increased in the last decade in all water types. Compared to a decade ago, on average, approximately an additional 6,000 tonnes of nitrogen is now being discharged to marine waters in the south east and along the southern seaboard of Ireland each year.
Water Quality in Ireland 2016 – 2021 Summary Report
Year: 2022
This report provides summary information on the status of our rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters (known collectively as surface waters) and groundwaters. It is based on information collected over a 6-year period from 2016 to 2021 under Ireland’s national water quality monitoring programme from over 4,000 surface water bodies and 514 groundwater bodies. It highlights changes in the condition of these waters, identifies the main problems causing water quality issues and sets out what actions need to be taken to protect this important national resource.
Water Quality in Ireland 2016 – 2021
Year: 2022
This report sets out the latest assessment of the health of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, canals, groundwaters, transitional (estuaries) and coastal waters. The analysis is based on the assessment of over 4,000 surface water bodies and 514 groundwater bodies over the period 2016-2021.
Designation of heavily modified waterbodies for the third River Basin Management Plan
Year: 2022
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the designation of heavily modified waterbodies.
How We Assess Water Quality - fact sheet
Year: 2022
This factsheet outlines how the EPA assesses the quality of our waters.
National Hydrometric Monitoring Programme 2022 - 2027
Year: 2022
The National Hydrometric Programme sets out the hydrometric monitoring that will be undertaken by various public authorities in Ireland in the period 2022 to 2027.
River Monitoring – Aquatic Invertebrates
Year: 2021
This plain English factsheet outlines the work done by the EPA monitoring aquatic invertebrates in our rivers.
River and Lake Monitoring - Phytobenthos fact sheet
Year: 2021
This plain English factsheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring phytobenthos in rivers and lakes.
Lake Monitoring Phytoplankton fact sheet
Year: 2021
This plain English fact sheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring phytoplankton in lakes.
Nitrate Directives Article 10 Report for Ireland for the Period 2016-2019
Council Directive of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (91/676/EEC), December 2020
Year: 2020
This report provides the information from Ireland to the European Commission, as required under Article 10 of the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), with respect to the seventh reporting period (2016-2019). The report comprises: a description, with maps, of the evolution of water quality in groundwater and surface waters; a statement on the adoption of a Whole Territory Approach with respect to the designation of nitrate vulnerable zones; a summary of agricultural activities and an account of the implementation of the agricultural Code of Good Practice and a summary of the principal measures and an evaluation of the National Action Programme for limiting nitrate inputs from agricultural sources.
Intercalibration of the Lake Acidification Macroinvertebrate Metric (LAMM) in Ireland
Year: 2020
This report was submitted to the European Commission and shows how Ireland intercalibrated the UK developed classification tool, Lake Acidification Method Metric (LAMM) for the pressure acidification in the Irish situation using Irish lake invertebrate data. It shows how Ireland successfully intercalibrated the class boundaries of the LAMM adapted for the Irish situation using IE Data with those agreed in the Northern Geographical Intercalibration Group N-GIG intercalibration exercise following the Common Implementation Strategy Guidance Document No. 30 “Procedure to fit a new or updated classification method to the results of a completed Intercalibration Exercise” (EC, 2015 – 085).
Lake monitoring aquatic plants - Fact Sheet
This Plain English fact sheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring aquatic plants in Irish lakes., July 2020
Year: 2020
Aquatic plants are good at showing if the quality of the water is good or bad and play an important role in lake ecology by providing food and a habitat for many smaller plants, animals and birds.
Estimated FDC and Mean Flow for Ungauged Catchments
Year: 2020
The development of the original HydroTool model is described initially in this report and the statistical procedures in the updated model are presented, with a re-analysis of additional and updated data. The model generates natural flow duration curves in ungauged catchments from flows at gauged catchments of similar character, using a procedure called Region of Influence which is based on catchment descriptors.
National Hydrometric Monitoring Programme 2018 - 2021
Year: 2018
The report sets out the rationale for the National Hydrometric Programme and incorporates river flow and lake level monitoring. Reviews of international hydrometric practice in Scotland, Wales and New Zealand and a technical review of the EPA/LA hydrometric network are included as appendices.
National Hydrometric Monitoring Programme 2018 - 2021
Year: 2018
The report sets out the rationale for the National Hydrometric Programme and incorporates river flow and lake level monitoring. Reviews of international hydrometric practice in Scotland, Wales and New Zealand and a technical review of the EPA/LA hydrometric network are included as appendices.
Marine Phytoplankton - Fact Sheet
This Plain English fact sheet outlines the work done by the EPA in monitoring phytoplankton in Ireland's marine environment. , February 2018
Year: 2018
The EPA and the Marine Institute sample phytoplankton in estuaries and coastal waters around Ireland. They carry out sampling three times during the summer and once during winter. At each location, they take water samples just below the surface and above the seabed. They use the samples to assess how much phytoplankton is in the water and what species are present.
WFD Application Phase 1 Technical Overview
WFD Application Phase 1 Technical Overview, August 2015
Year: 2015
WFD Application Phase 1 Technical Overview