I have yet to spend any of the seed funding of €420 euro which I still have set aside. As part of signing up we were sent a box of nitrate and phosphate test kits and these have been sufficient to get us from when we started on 24 April 2023 to now. The remaining kits expire this month February 2024, so I will likely use the funding to purchase more from Freshwater Watch (FWW) and renew access to their platform though I think the pricing of these things is very high for voluntary groups.
When we started, I had 2 helpers but they have dropped out for different reasons. A third person who expressed interest also dropped out before starting. Of the 38 tests done to date 34 were done by me. I will look for additional helpers if I renew and get more kits. Currently I am trying to test 5 sites per month.
The primary impact has been the exposure it has given my helpers and I to citizen science generally and to Freshwater Watch in particular. I have been able to establish that in as far as test results go we have elevated nitrates in our stream though well within legal limits while phosphates are negligible. I have seen contradictory results from a different type of test from Merck implying much higher nitrates in the stream than the FWW kits suggest. I need to get to the bottom of this, possibly with help from FWW. I have also established that water quality in our two local ponds is very good with nitrates barely detected.
Longer term I would like to keep testing to establish if there is seasonal variation in nutrient levels and use the data to support conversations with the local authority and other bodies on what could be done to improve quality in the catchment which is primarily agricultural. It is possible some nutrients are originating in leaking septic tanks and grey waste water from houses in the catchment.
I do not have photos of us in action as it is just me though I have numerous photos of test sites and test results which I submit to FWW via the Survey 123 app.
screen shots from two separate Zoom meetings this week (I couldn’t get everyone together at the same time) to show we are real people
Our draft planning document is here: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AtF4-z2obCOZlI1-DrHYV0XLQAgpjw?e=suzqAS
It will be reviewed at the meeting on 22nd February.
After I speak to ChangeX I will have a better idea how to tie in this project and funding into our overall plans.
I am uploading a photo of a recent load of rubbish removed from stream and environs to allow me post the above link. I'll add a team photo after the meeting.
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Action plan:
Timeline: When will you be able to start your project? How often will your team meet? Are there any key dates to share for the project?
Budget: You don't need to share exact prices, but please share how you're planning to spend the seed funding & what costs you're anticipating to get your project up and running:
Impact: How will your community benefit from this project? Do you have any measurable goals for your project, such as the number of people that will participate? Are you hoping to spread knowledge or increase interest in a specific subject?
Location: If your project requires physical space, have you decided the location? Do you have all necessary permission and permits to carry out your project at the chosen location?
Issues so far:
1. I have a group already which uses WhatsApp so I was not sure about adding them to the ChangeX page as it is not really new for them and might feel like "another thing to do" for them. I did it anyway.
2. We have lots of ideas of work to do (see planning doc linked above) but I am not sure how to use 600 euro. We are working on public land managed by the local council. our stream runs through it,
A few ideas I have:
• Machine and labour hire to remove heavy rubbish from stream and/or local ponds. This could cause tension with council. I am not asking council to do this as I expect they would bulldoze trees to get at it.
• Source biodiversity training for team - possibly the most realistic option.
• Pay for vandalism-proof tree planting in local area - requires approval from council.
I'd like to hear what other groups use funding for.
3. The FreshWater Watch 5 steps seems to imply water quality testing is the kind of project expected? https://www.changex.org/ie/freshwater-watch/guide
