Twice a year, the Rivers Trust run a Big River Watch, and the next one will take place from the 19th to the 25th of September! Anyone can take part in these week-long citizen science surveys that help to build an important picture of river health across the UK and Ireland.
Our rivers are far from healthy. They're polluted with sewage, plastic, chemicals and nutrients, and just 15% of river stretches in England are in good overall health.
To restore them, we need more information about their current status. You can help us identify and locate the problems. With the Big River Watch app, you can help us identify issues that will enable us to influence policymakers and hold polluters accountable.
How to take part:
- Step 1: Download the app
Download the free Big River Watch mobile app before visiting the river. - Step 2: Complete the survey by your river
Spend 15 minutes watching the river, and answer the questions in the survey. You can complete the Big River Watch at your favourite local spot, or get to know somewhere new. The survey will ask you about what you see, including wildlife, plants, and any signs of pollution. Not sure what you're looking at? The in-app pollution and wildlife guides can help you make an identification.
- Step 3: Upload your survey
Press submit, and upload your Big River Watch survey!
- Step 4: [Optional extra] Complete a Great UK WaterBlitz
New for 2025, if you've signed up for your kit in advance, you can also test the water and monitor nitrate and phosphate levels between September 19th and 21st.
Then our river specialists will analyse the results.
The app and survey are open year-round, so you can keep recording useful information about your local river at any time.
Share your photos on social media with #BigRiverWatch.
Download the Big River Watch app.
You'll need the free app to take part! Download it before you set off to complete your survey.
Watch your data flow in
Can you help us plug the gaps? We need surveys across the whole of the UK and Ireland. If you live near or can visit an area that hasn't been surveyed yet, that would be a huge help.
The map below works best on a desktop or tablet. Exploring on mobile? Click here for the full-screen data dashboard.
The results
Over the past three Big River Watches, we've worked together to submit nearly 8,000 surveys of our rivers. You can explore some of the data and see how your local river stacks up in our Big River Watch Data Dashboard.
See also our data summary blog posts from Sep 2023, May 2024, and Sep 2024.
Share Article