Testing the limits. Can nitrate levels be used to safeguard the health of UK rivers?
Dear reader,

My name is Federico, and I am an undergraduate biology student at the University of Warwick. Last summer, I undertook a project investigating the influence of nitrate on the health of three of our rivers. This considered the relative importance of the different sources and the consequences of nitrate pollution, and the need to impose limits to safeguard water quality and environmental health.

When I think of the harm inflicted upon our rivers within recent years, a particular example that comes to mind is the well publicised degradation of the River Wye. I focussed on sampling nitrate concentrations and macroinvertebrate diversity, which I then compared with data I collected in identical ways from the Great Ouse and Dart, in order to better understand the current ecological and chemical status of these waterways and how they compare.

The data I collected is based on a single round of sampling and is therefore very much a snapshot of the quality of these rivers. The primary objective of my work is to improve public awareness regarding issues that cause this degradation, with the hope of inciting positive change, whether that's through increased community engagement via monitoring, educational programmes, or through the support of campaigns to pressure higher administrations (water companies, local/regional governments) into properly addressing the situation. 

However, for this project to serve as an effective basis to better understand the wider issues affecting these waterways, it is beneficial for me to understand the experiences and opinions of those who are witnessing and indeed living with the changes and pressures on our rivers first-hand.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me via email, at uk.river.report@gmail.com. Please write as much or as little as you'd like - all responses will be considered equally and are greatly appreciated. Replies may remain anonymous if you wish, but your general location with respect to the river you are commenting on is required. Beyond this, no further personal data will be collected or stored. 

Finally, while the focus of my data collection is around the Wye, Great Ouse and Dart, it would help enormously if you were able to forward this survey to anyone you know who may be interested, regardless of which river they live near. 

The problems facing our rivers and waterways sadly won't go away on their own and only through concerned individuals and groups may we see positive change. As such, I plan on publishing a regular blog hereafter (if you've come from this very blog, welcome!), with updates on the state of our rivers and information on how to get involved (citizen science opportunities etc.). 

You have a voice, so if you'd like to get in touch, via this survey, or email if you have something specific to discuss, I look forward to including your comments and opinions where I can in my blog.  

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. 

Kind regards,
Federico White

Banner: photo of the River Wye near Rhayader, by Federico White
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1. First name or organisation name?
2. River you are commenting on and approximate location (e.g. River Wye, just north of Builth Wells)
 *
3. How great a concern is the state of our rivers to you? *
4. How obvious is the issue of river pollution in your area? *
5. Please expand upon the previous point, if you wish
6. Do you think the rise of intensive farming across the UK is justifiable to manage food security? *
7. Do you feel your local council is fairly prioritising the issue of river pollution in the context of planning decisions it needs to address? *
8. If local government funding were to increase to deal with the problem of river pollution, would you accept increased taxation as a consequence? *
9. Do you think the Environment Agency is doing enough to regulate the water industry? *
10. Please expand upon the previous point, if you wish
11. Do you believe the government is doing enough to tackle the pollution of our waterways? *
12. Do you think the government should prioritise the health of our rivers while it pledges to build 1.5 million homes over the next 5 years? *
13. Do you think organic farming is a viable solution to tackle the issue of river pollution? *
14. Do you believe fining water companies is enough of a deterrent? *
15. Do you think water companies are doing enough to limit sewage runoff? *
16. Please expand upon the previous point, if you wish
17. In the context of the changing climate and rainfall patterns we are experiencing, do you think the current educational and regulatory system as applied to the farming industry should be updated to reflect these changing patterns in order to promote correct and timely application of fertilisers, minimising runoff into waterways? *
18. Do you think re-nationalising water companies is a viable solution to tackle the problem of untreated sewage releases into our waterways? *
19. What do you think should be done to mitigate the issue of river pollution? *
20. Any further comments?
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