Catchments Newsletter

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Our Catchments Newsletter brings together science and stories from community groups, local authorities, public bodies, researchers, the EPA and the Local Authority Waters Programme, and others about the different ways we all work together to care for Ireland’s rivers, lakes, streams and coastal waters so they can be protected, and restored where necessary.

Your water, your catchment

2017 video highlighting how we all are connected to and depend on water and catchments. ‘Your Water, Your Catchment’ is a short film about Ireland’s water catchments. Voiced by Eco Eye presenter and ecologist, Anja Murray, the film examines the importance of water catchments, the pressures facing them and how communities in Ireland are helping protect our waters.

Issue 17: Autumn 2025 Catchments Newsletter

Inside this issue

Waters and Communities News
Highlights include the launch of Ireland’s Water Action Plan, major funding for community water projects, and inspiring local initiatives in Westport, Ballinahown, Enniscorthy, and the Nore catchment.

Bathing Waters
EPA updates on bathing water quality and infrastructure improvements, citizen science through Explore Your Shore!, and coastal action led by the Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group.

EPA Water Quality
Insights into how the EPA monitors and assesses water quality, new legislation on water abstractions, and key takeaways from the EPA Water Conference 2025.

Articles

Better Farming for Water – 8 Actions for Change campaign launched by Teagasc.
Linking Monitoring and Research with the Restoration of Nephin Forest – combining long-term data and ecological restoration.
River Flow and Ecology Case Study: The Lotic-invertebrate Index for Flow Evaluation (LIFE) in Irish Rivers.
Insights into the Peatlands Climate Action Scheme and its impact on water quality.
Catchment-wide interventions by The Rivers Trust to tackle blue-green algae in Lough Neagh.
Reflections from the Waters of LIFE project – working one farmer at a time to reduce agricultural pressures.

Issue 17 – Autumn 2025 Catchments Newsletter – download now

Catchments Newsletter Archive

Issue 16: Summer 2024

Issue 15: Winter 2021

Issue 14: Spring 2021

Issue 13: Summer 2020

Issue 12: Winter 2019

Issue 11: Autumn 2019

Issue 10: Spring 2019

Issue 9: Winter 2018

Issue 8: Spring 2018

Issue 7: Winter 2017

Issue 6: Autumn 2017

Issue 5: Spring 2017

Issue 4: Winter 2016

Issue 3: Summer 2016

Issue 2: Spring 2016

Issue 1: Autumn 2015

Have you a story to tell?

We want to share stories that help people understand the connections between themselves, their local environment, and the benefits for human health. At the same time, we aim to encourage public participation in protecting these vital resources.

If you have a story you’d like to share in a future issue, we’d love to hear from you! You can reach us through our Contact page or by getting in touch with your local Community Water Officer.

Our goal is for these stories to spark inspiration—motivating more people to get involved in caring for their local environment, especially our rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies.

“Lively and engaging”
– Michael Viney, The Irish Times

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.