A citizen science partnership empowering citizens to take part and collect data in a programme of water quality testing on the River Nore and its tributaries is to commence.
DCU’s Water Institute and the Nore River Catchment Trust are involved in the project which will take place in parts of South Laois.
The Nore River Catchment Trust (NRCT) is an dynamic community group working on a large catchment covering much of Kilkenny, the southern half of Laois and also parts of Tipperary and Carlow.
The Trust has an extensive team behind it with a range of skills, and has consulted widely with local communities in the catchment to determine their requirements.
They subsequently created a vision of a healthy and vibrant river catchment based on education, training, recreation, and collaborative actions identified by the community.
Anna Hayes, Citizen Science officer with Dublin City University’s Water Institute, is from Killeen in Laois.
She explained how parts of the Nore in Mountrath, Castletown, Camross, Borris-In-Ossory, Rathdowney, Ballacolla, Abbeyleix and Ballyroan will be examined.
A spokesperson said: “The Water Institute along with NRCT is inviting interest from any local clubs or groups who would like to become citizen scientists within the catchment to test their local river or stream on a monthly basis for nitrates and phosphates, and much more.