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November 2023 Hydrology Bulletin

The Hydrology Summary Bulletin for November 2023 outlines the flows in rivers, rainfall, lake levels and turlough levels, groundwater levels and spring outflows of over 300 stations across Ireland.

Overview

The first two-thirds of November 2023 saw Atlantic low-pressure systems dominate. This brought above average temperatures with rain or showers on most days, especially in the West and Northwest. The final third of the month saw high pressure having more of an influence with drier and progressively cooler conditions.

The monthly average river flows for November remained high since last month, with 72% of river flows above the long-term normal for November, while 89% of lake and turlough monitoring stations observed levels above the long-term normal range for this month also.

Average monthly groundwater levels increased with 81% of monitoring wells recording levels above the long-term average for November. Similarly, spring outflows were all normal or above for this time of year.

The monthly average river flows for November remained high. The number of rain days ranged from 18 to 28 days and average river flows decreased at 59% of river monitoring stations compared to October 2023.

Read the EPA’s Hydrology Bulletin here: https://t.co/jFHJTgTDJU pic.twitter.com/MJUgVCyqol
— EPA Ireland (@EPAIreland) December 11, 2023

Learn more:

https://www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring–assessment/freshwater–marine/hydrology-bulletin/hydrology-bulletin/hydrology-summary-bulletin—november-2023.php

A map of Ireland showing river flows for November 2023. — River flows, November 2023

A map of Ireland showing spring outflows, groundwater levels and groundwater flow for November 2023. — Spring levels, ground water levels, and groundwater flow regime, November 2023

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

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.