Our inland waterways are at risk!
RiverDip is a citizen science activity that has been developed as part of the Sullied Sediments project. Scroll down to find out how you can help...
It’s time to take action!
The Sullied Sediments project team is giving people tools and information to monitor and protect our precious rivers and canals from chemicals and other pollutants.
RiverDip needs you!
As a RiverDip volunteer, or RiverDipper, we need you to take samples from your local waterways and measure the levels of phosphate in them.
Why phosphate?
Phosphate is an essential nutrient for plant life. However, in water, it can cause algae and plants to grow in abundance.
What is the effect?
Excessive algae and plant growth can choke up a watercourse, block out sunlight and take oxygen away from other organisms that need it.
What causes excess phosphate?
Excess phosphate is often a result of pollution which can come from fertilisers, sewage and industrial waste.
How does RiverDip help?
Monitoring phosphate levels is important because it helps those who manage waterways to better understand where the problems are and determine how they can be tackled.
Register your interest in volunteering
The RiverDip programme is currently on hold and we are not able to accept new volunteer registrations at the present time. We would, however, like to hear from volunteer groups who are interested in getting involved in sampling in the spring and summer. If you lead such a group or belong to one, please complete the registration below. Thank you.
To measure and record what you find,
you will need:
RiverDip PAD
A paper device that will change colour to reflect the level of phosphate in a water sample. When you have registered we will send you a supply of PADs in your RiverDip Toolkit.
RiverDip app
Our bespoke app called RiverDip can be used to record the results from your PADs and share them with the project. It is available for free on:
The tools that RiverDippers use to measure and record the phosphate data have been developed by the University of Hull (UK) with support from other Sullied Sediments project partners.
All sampling data collected by our RiverDippers is verified by our researchers, presented via an online map and shared with those who can use the information to improve the management of our rivers and canals.
View mapSullied Sediments
RiverDip is part of the ‘Sullied Sediments’ project, which has been co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg VB North Sea Region Programme.
In this project, a team of scientists and researchers are working with regulatory and managing bodies and the water industry to better understand the pressures our waterways are under. Together we gather and share information about the water environment to help improve the health of our rivers and canals.
As consumers we are releasing a variety of pollutants into our waterways by using common medicines and household products. We want to help you make better choices about how we use these products to protect our waterways.
Find out more
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