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The next Big River Watch is here!

The Big River Watch is a fun, free, and easy way to help rivers.

Twice a year, The Rivers Trust runs Big River Watch, with the next survey taking place between 24 and 30 April 2026. Anyone can take part in these week-long citizen science surveys, which help build an important picture of river health across the UK and Ireland.

Rivers across the UK and Ireland are far from healthy. They are polluted by sewage, plastic, chemicals and excess nutrients. To restore them, more information is needed on how rivers are performing and where the problems are occurring.

The Rivers Trust is encouraging people to help identify and locate these issues using the Big River Watch app. The data collected helps influence policymakers, strengthens the evidence base for action, and supports efforts to hold polluters to account.

This is the first time the app has been available in Irish, and The Rivers Trust hopes this will significantly expand the reach of the campaign and encourage greater participation.

Helping our precious rivers couldn’t be easier!

Ní fhéadfadh sé a bheith níos éasca cabhrú lenár n-aibhneacha luachmhara!

Visual of the River Watch App showing how to enable GPS location

How to take part

Step 1: Download the app

Download or update the free Big River Watch mobile app before visiting the river.

Step 2: Complete the survey by your river

Spend 15 minutes watching the river, and answer the questions in the survey. You can complete the Big River Watch at your favourite local spot, or get to know somewhere new. The survey will ask you about what you see, from wildlife and plants to any signs of pollution. Not sure what you’re looking at? The in-app pollution and wildlife guides can help you make an identification.

Step 3: Upload your survey

Press submit, and upload your Big River Watch survey!

Image of the sequential steps in taking part in the Big River Watch as described.

Download the Big River Watch App

The Big River Watch App (English/Welsh/Irish) can be downloaded by using the QR below or by visiting the links:

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/big-river-watch/id6463412601

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.theriverstrust.bigriverwatch

Visit The Big River Watch | The Rivers Trust

Learn more

Explore the data: The Rivers Trust has made data from the 2025 Big River Watch available on their interactive Dashboard. Thousands of public river surveys from across Ireland and the UK are now available to explore through an interactive data dashboard, offering valuable insights into local river health. Big River Watch Data Explorer | The Rivers Trust

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.