We all live in a catchment

The first question Dr Caroline Gilleran Stephens asks the kids when she visits schools is where the nearest water is. Then: Do they know where it flows from and where it is going to? She believes in getting kids emotionally involved and a hands on approach. Wading knee deep through the Park River in Virginia Deerpark, collecting samples and discovering the tiniest creatures in water drops most definitely got them psyched up for the new citizen science project 'Ramor Watch'.

For the past 10 years, Caroline, a lecturer in Environmental Biotechnology, has been running ‘H2O Heroes’, a free programme for schools and community groups funded by Research Ireland connecting people with the science of their local water catchments, empowering them to understand how human activity shapes water quality, biodiversity and climate resilience.

Showing all the traces of water, supply and quality is the first step to changing behaviour regarding water use and care. “Yes, the programme is educational, but people only change when they are emotionally involved,” the DkIT scientist is convinced. The new project is a year-long study around Lough Ramor - and everyone can get involved.

Ramor Watch was developed in partnership with Virginia Town Team and supported by the H2O Heroes teams at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). It aims to empower locals to play an active role in monitoring and protecting their local lake.

What many wouldn't know: “We’re part of the Boyne Catchment, we have a big influence on downstream coming from Lough Ramor into the Blackwater and then into the protected area of the Boyne river,” explains Caroline. With their efforts, Ramor Watch will complement the work done by the EPA and Lawpro. “They are covering thousands of kilometres of river, they can’t get to all the small streams.”

She lays out a crinkled map of Lough Ramor with 20 red dots on the several streams leading to and from the lake. From here, volunteers will take monthly chemical samples measuring water quality indicators, while seasonal biological surveys will assess aquatic life. These surveys involve examining insects and other organisms living in rivers, as certain species can only survive in healthy, oxygen-rich environments. Their presence provides valuable information about ecosystem health.

“We know Lough Ramor is under pressure,” says Caroline. Last year, the EPA highlighted that the Virginia lake was one of seven in Ireland at risk of developing harmful algae bloom. “I don’t want to be dramatic about it,” she says. “But it is like the lake is immunocompromised. Certain conditions like a hot summer, could tip it.”

Unlike rivers, where nutrients, waste, bacteria or other harmful elements are washed away quicker, Lough Ramor in particular struggles: “It’s a small, shallow lake with legacy phosphorus in the sediment.”

Water tests have proven that the lake’s water quality has been “slightly improving”, but multiple measures are still needed. She emphasises that the pressure stems from various sources: “People are quick to blame farmers, but they are actually doing a huge amount to protect the lake. It is really important to get farmers and landowners on board.”

Actions can include the correct rainwater management, fencing animals, diverting water flows into settlement ponds and other nature-based solutions, knowing where the minor streams and drains lead to is important, too. “We all live in a catchment,” Caroline points out. Which is why everyone can contribute. As a Munterconnaught local, she knows how important Lough Ramor as an amenity is. In summer, hundreds of people flock to the lake to swim, but what if there is a problem upstream? Everything lands in the lake.

Admittedly, agriculture and wastewater are an issue, but looking at old septic tanks and not spraying pesticides to kill weeds in the garden are just as important, says Caroline.

“It’s everybody’s responsibility to look after the water.” Conserving water, properly maintaining septic tanks, avoiding the misuse of pesticides, fixing leaks, disposing of waste responsibly, and even picking up litter during walks. The key message is: “Many small actions, when combined, can make a significant difference.”

As part of Ramor Watch, volunteers will be trained to collect water samples from rivers flowing into the lake and from the lake itself. But anyone walking on the shore can help, too: For this purpose, a mobile app ‘Catchment Crew’ was developed. The app will allow volunteers, schools, and community members to record observations, upload photographs, and submit water-quality data. Different modes are designed for scientists, teachers, students, and the general public. Users will be able to report wildlife sightings, algae blooms, unusual water conditions, outflow pipes, invasive species, or potential pollution sources.

“We want to build up a profile of what the lake looks like,” says Caroline who hopes that many people will support the project.

Ultimately, Ramor Watch aims to build a detailed year-round picture of the lake’s condition. By collecting local data more frequently than official monitoring programmes can manage, the project hopes to identify pollution hotspots, understand how weather events affect water quality, and help authorities target the right environmental measures in the right places. “It’s about working with the community, getting people on board. It's not a given that the lake is here and we can swim in it, we have to work hard to make sure that it stays this way.”

The project launch was a first step. Virginia Town Team Chairperson T.P. O'Reilly is optimistic that Ramor Watch will be successful: “It was a great event and great to see the enthusiasm of the young people. It's so important to protect and learn how we can benefit our rivers and lakes.”

Caroline echoes the statement: “The enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment shown by everyone who attended was fantastic to see.”

Ramor Watch will give local people the opportunity to contribute directly to the protection of Lough Ramor while learning about the science that helps understand and care for freshwater environments. For more information or to download the app go to www.h2oheroes.ie