A citizen science partnership between DCU’s Water Institute and the Nore River Catchment Trust which began in Durrow, Co. Laois in March continued to gain momentum at a recent training day in Mountrath Co. Laois. The Centennial project now has many volunteers testing the water quality of the Nore and its tributaries right across the Nore catchment in Laois from Lacca to Durrow, and from Borris-in-Ossory to Ballyroan. Participants in the project are testing their local river or stream for nitrates, phosphates and turbidity on a monthly basis for the next six months. The wide breadth of the sampling locations, coupled with the enthusiasm of the volunteers should give an excellent picture of the health of the Nore across the county, and will contribute greatly to water quality research being carried out by the Water Institute, who will produce a report from the data gathered on completion of the project.
This research is supported by the DCU Educational Trust through the GLAS Communities Fund created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with Ornua Co-operative Limited and the Department of Rural and Community Development.
