Community Training & Resources

 

 Training resources relevant to all river watchers:

Training resource 1: Stay safe – a guide for river watchers

Please ensure you read this document before you carry out any monitoring activity

Training resource 2: Weather & floods, forecasts & warnings

Be prepared, know when to expect severe weather events and find out whether there are any weather or flood warnings in place affecting your local catchment.

Training resource 3: understanding 'catchments'

  •  What do we mean by the term ‘catchment’? (click video below to view larger version):

         Speaking the same language: what is a catchment?

  • Natural Flood Management / working with natural processes - use video below as a training resource (an example taken from the Pont Gallon Burn leaky dams on 22nd Deceber 2014 - during a heavy winter storm):

         2014-12-22 1220hrs GoPro Natural flood management in action 

 Training resources to support community-based monitoring activities:

Training resource 4: Rainfall

Manually observe daily rainfall using a plastic rain gauge in your garden:

Training resource 5: River level using a gauge board

Visually observe the river level gauge boards along the Haltwhistle Burn footpath:

Training resource 6: Flooding and extreme weather impacts

Observe changes in the water environment before, during and after a severe weather event (e.g. heavy rainfall which causes flooding)

Training resource 7: Water clarity

A simple technique which uses the OPALometer:

Training resource 8: Water quality

Simple techniques used to observe algal cover, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrites/nitrates and phosphates – all of which are common water quality indicators for rural catchments:

Training resource 9: Fixed point photography for changing environments

Learn how you can use your camera at fixed locations over time to capture change within the water environment e.g. sediment build-up under culverts or erosion and river meander bends.

**Document coming soon**

Training resource 10: Aerial photography using drones, balloons or kites

Collect images of the river environment, flood extents or catchment management techniques (e.g. natural flood management features).

**Document coming in the future**

Training resource 11: Float gauging

Find out how fast the water is flowing using a float

**Document coming in the future**

Training resource 12: Weather diaries

Activities which tourists can complete and get involved with catchment management. See examples blow to get you started:

Training card 13: Invasive non-native species

Look out for invasive non-native plants and animals in your catchment. Training cards developed by the GB non-native species secretariat:

 Training resources to help you submit your observations:

Training resource 14: How to submit your observations – general overview

If you want to submit your observations using the internet (using a web form, file sharing site or by email) or to share during river watch meetings:

Training resource 15: Twitter

Use Twitter to submit your observations, interesting facts, local knowledge or photos of the Haltwhistle Burn catchment:

Training resource 16: Community river and weather app

An Android app which will allow you to submit your river levels, river observations and weather descriptions:

To download the app you need an Android device (version 4 onwards).

If you (or anybody else in the community) use the app to submit your weather and river observations then they are automatically plotted on a map and shared online. This is called 'crowd-sourcing' which is essentially bringing knowledge or information together online from many different people. 

Disclaimer - project information and consent form:

Please read and sign the the following information sheet which highlights your role as a volunteer and what your data will be used for: