Detailed Information
The Freshwater Detective
The island of Ireland possesses an aquatic heritage which is unique in Europe. Packed into a land area of just 84,000 km sq is a vast array of loughs, rivers, streams and estuaries. Some of the bolder laden, brassy river channels flash by for all to see; some are hidden from view and furtively skirt unnoticed along the edges of the hedgerows. Still others flow largely beneath our feet, only appearing above ground for tantalisingly short periods. Our lakes are shallow, often wind swept and amongst the most highly productive still-waters in the world. Easily damaged by over-enrichment, they demand careful and thoughtful stewardship. Participants will learn how, over the millennia, our rivers and lakes were forged from a mixture of fire and ice; how aquatic life first appeared and how by genetic selection and diversification life thrived in these systems, resulting in the varied forms of plants and animals we witness today.
In recent years individuals and communities have become increasingly interested in playing a proactive role in protecting and conserving their rivers, loughs and estuaries. There is a far greater emphasis on raising awareness amongst local interest groups and those directly involved with managing land parcels adjacent to streams and other water bodies, of the need to improve and enhance the quality of fresh and estuarine waterbodies. This course will describe how our water resources are under siege from pollution, abstraction and the effects of climate change. Strategies will be discussed to ensure the sustainability of our unquenchable thirst for greater and greater volumes of this unique and fast disappearing native treasure. The course will describe the online and in person resources available to those interested in establishing water quality and habitat improvement programmes. It will also include examples of projects which have been undertaken by River Trusts and community groups across the country to tackle local issues affecting the quality of water and aquatic habitats in their areas.
This course may include field trips on 21/10/23 to the River Dodder and 11/11/23 to the River Camac.
Please note that this is an online course and you will receive your recurring Zoom link a few days before the class starts.
8 Mondays
19:00-21:00
02, 09, 16, 23 Oct (no class 30th Oct), 06, 13, 20, 27 Nov
Field Trips:
21/10/23 the River Dodder
11/11/23 the River Camac
• Where our fresh water comes from
• The formation of Ireland’s rivers and lakes
• The water cycle
• Reading river channels, lake margins and estuaries
• Managing floods to our advantage
• Water quality and the battle for clean water
• Improving river habitats
• Raising community awareness
• Mobilising the citizen scientist to guard and protect our water resources
• Organising local initiatives to improve water quality and river habitat.
• Support groups and bodies focused on improving our aquatic resources.
• Caring for the little streams of the mountains
• Water quality – the Water Framework Directive
• Climate Change – impacts , benefits and concerns
• Managing the water resource - potable water, agriculture and land drainage
• Apportioning water resources and water resource management
The following is a selection of recommended texts for those interested in reading further around the course content. We advise that you do not buy books in advance of the course as your tutor will discuss the list and suggest the most relevant reading for particular interests.
Irelands Rivers – Mary Kelly Quinn and Julian Reynolds (2020) - ISBN-13: 9781910820551
https://www.ucdpress.ie/results.asp?AUB=Julian%20D%20Reynolds&
Local Authority Waters Programme - Local Authority Water Programme (lawaters.ie)
Final Report of the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss Launches | Citizens' Assembly (citizensassembly.ie)
Geological Survey of Ireland: http://www.gsi.ie/
Office of Public Works: http://www.opw.ie/en/FloodRiskManagement/HydrometricData/
Inland Fisheries Ireland: www.fisheriesireland.ie
Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.ie
Marine Institute: www.marine.ie
Wild Trout Trust: www.wildtrout.org
On completion of the course, students should be able to:
- Describe the glacial origin of Ireland’s rivers and lakes
- Outline how geology and topography influence the availability of water resources in
- Ireland
- Explain the water cycle and its importance in water management
- Be familiar with the main plant, fish and invertebrate species living in freshwater
- Explain how river corridors and lake basins work and what is required to maintain these
- intact
- Be familiar with the common pollutants of freshwater and how to protect water quality
- Be familiar with the bodies and groups involved in raising awareness regarding Ireland’s
- aquatic resources
- Be familiar with recent community based programmes designed to improve water
- quality and stem aquatic habitat loss
- Know where and how to access information on water quality and habitat data on rivers
- loughs & estuaries.
- Be familiar with issues relating to the management of the freshwater and estuarine
- resources
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Ken Whelan has over 14 years’ experience of running lifelong learning courses across the island of Ireland, in the UK and in the USA. Ken has a very interactive and accessible style. The overall approach is conversational and relaxed. No previous knowledge of freshwater biology or ecology is required.
Ken Whelan worked for several fisheries research organisations in Ireland. He was a Director in the Irish Marine Institute. Ken is a Senior Advisor/ Vice President at the Atlantic Salmon Trust and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Biology and Environmental Science at UCD. Ken runs his own fisheries and environmental consultancy. Over the past decade he has worked extensively with a range of community and other interest groups, training them to nurture and monitor, as citizen scientists, their local water bodies.