River Ecosystem Campaign:

Overview & Sampling Methods

What are we measuring?

Learn about rivers in our Introduction to Rivers lesson

What’s in your equipment pack?

Rivers as Ecosystems Datasheet

Rivers Observation Poster

Join our expert webinar on rivers!

March 20^th @ 11am

Suitable for Primary and Secondary students

Click HERE to register for the webinar

Campaign timeline

River Surveys

Select an appropriate site along a river

Select a site with easy access to the water. There is no need to enter the river (unless you’re doing the optional kick sample).

River Safety

• Check the weather in advance.
• Avoid unstable banks and slippery surfaces when sampling, if in doubt please find another location.
• Remember to be extra vigilant near fast flowing water, particularly after heavy rain.
• Wear waterproof gloves if you’ll be touching the water.

Preparing for your river visit

You’ll need the following equipment for your river visit:

At the river

Once you arrive at the river, use your senses to look, listen, and smell the environment. This can tell you a lot about how healthy the river is!

Step 1

What do water colours indicate?

Activity: See who can spot the most animals!

Step 1

While you’re busy observing your surroundings, fill out Part 1 of the Rivers as Ecosystems Datasheet.

Step 1

Collect a bucket of river water

When you’re scooping up the water, be careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom of the river.

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We will use the water in the bucket to measure water temperature, pH, nitrates, and phosphates.

Step 2

Measure water temperature

1. Put the bulb end of the thermometer into the water in your bucket. The bulb must be about 10 cm below the surface of the water.
2. Leave the thermometer in the water for 3 minutes then read the temperature without removing the bulb from the water.
3. Leave the thermometer in the water and read the temperature again after 1 minute. If the temperature has not changed since the first reading, record your result in the datasheet.
4. If the temperature has changed, take another reading each minute until you get a stable temperature.

Step 3

Why is water temperature important?

Measure water pH

1. Dip a test strip into the water in the bucket. Just a few seconds of exposure will suffice.

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• Shake off any excess water. The 2 different indicator bars on the paper strip will begin changing colour within a few moments.

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• Look at both colour indicator bars and compare them to the chart (on the right). The pH of the water is where the colours on your test strips most closely matches the indicator chart.

Step 4

Why is water pH important?

• Chemical pollution can make rivers more acidic.
• Some species (e.g., fish and shellfish) are sensitive to changes in water pH. Changes in pH can harm them.
• Extreme changes in water pH can harm species that live in or use rivers

The pH tells us how acidic or alkaline the water is on a scale from 0–14.

Irish rivers usually have a pH of

6.5 – 8.5

Measure nitrate & phosphate

1. Rinse your plastic sample cup twice with sample water from the bucket and then fill it up to the halfway line.
2. Remove the small yellow pin from the top of the NO₃ or PO₄ tube to open the hole. 
3. Squeeze the sides of the tube to expel approximately half of the air volume.
4. Keeping squeezed, insert the tube fully into the sample cup and release the sides to suck up all the water.

Step 5

Fill to half-way line with water sample

Remove Pin (yellow)

Reading Phosphate PO₄ Test:

At 5 minutes, place the PO₄ tube onto the colour chart and see which reference colour most closely matches your tube. Record the number above the relevant block.

Reading Nitrate NO₃ Test:

At 3 minutes, place the NO₃ tube onto the colour chart and see which reference colour most closely matches your tube. Record the number above the relevant block.

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Step 5

These citizen-science tests provide an indication of Nitrate and Phosphate pollution

What is nitrate?

Nitrate (NO₃^-) is a natural nutrient that plants need to grow. It naturally comes from soil, water, and decaying matter.

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Main sources of excess nitrate in rivers:

• Agriculture
• Livestock manure and urine (organic fertilisers)
• Chemical (inorganic) fertilisers

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Levels of nitrate in Irish Rivers

EPA (2024)

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Acceptable levels of NO₃: <1.8 mg/l NO₃^-N

What is phosphate?

Phosphate (PO₄) is a natural nutrient that plants and animals need to grow, which naturally comes from rocks, soil, and decaying organic matter.

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Main sources of excess phosphate in rivers:

• Wastewater treatment
• Industrial discharge
• Agriculture (Organic & inorganic fertilisers)

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EPA (2024)

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Levels of phosphate in Irish Rivers

Acceptable levels of PO₄: <0.035 mg/l

• After you’ve finished all the measurements, empty the water back into the river.
• Collect a new sample of river water and do another measurement for water temperature, pH, nitrate, and phosphate.
• Repeat it once more so that you have sampled 3 buckets of water in total and have 3 readings of everything.
• Calculate the averages based on your findings.

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Send us your data!

• This is a citizen-science activity meaning your observations and test results are very important. The results will be collated with other participating schools’ results to build a picture of river health around schools in Ireland.

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• Please submit your results using the online River Survey Form, Click HERE, as quickly as you can.

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• Deadline is May 2nd

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Share your story!

Share your work and experience with the River Ecosystem Campaign at our Student Project-Sharing Webinar on May 6th

Click HERE to register for the webinar

Email us at globe@eeu.antaisce.org of you would like to present

Feeling creative? Why not submit a scientific or creative project to us based on this campaign and stand a chance to win an award at our annual prizegiving!

Your submission can provide details of your study (e.g., presentations and posters) or can raise awareness about the topic at hand (e.g., songs and art).

Win with GLOBE!

Send us your art, project or story and stand a chance to win an award at our annual prizegiving

Students from Rockford Manor Secondary school, Dublin at the 2023/24 Annual GLOBE Awards Event with their teacher.

The award categories…

THANK YOU!

GLOBE Ireland

087 361 1525

globe@eeu.antaisce.org