Spring monitoring by citizens to improve groundwater resources management
About this good practice
Springs are natural groundwater outflows reflecting watershed conditions regarding pollution and groundwater resources. Since 2004, springs have been part of Latvia's national groundwater monitoring, supporting the EU Water Framework and Groundwater Directives. Springs are often used for drinking water due to their taste and have historical and tourism value, and support groundwater-dependent ecosystems i.e. wetlands.
A major challenge in groundwater management is the lack of monitoring sites, especially in cross-border areas. Springs offer lower sampling and maintenance costs, representing larger catchments and making them ideal for monitoring networks. However, representative springs must be mapped and selected based on in-depth studies.
In Latvia and Estonia, researchers initiated voluntary spring monitoring to map new springs and identify representative ones for expansion of cross-border groundwater monitoring network. A web-based application (avoti.info and allikad.info) was launched in 2021 to collect information of known and new springs, offering guidelines for voluntary participation.
Mapping new springs and conducting seasonal monitoring contribute to future groundwater studies and national assessments required for implementing EU water directives. An informed society can drive more groundwater-related actions at local, national, and international levels, resulting in new research, improved monitoring, and more sustainable water policies.
Resources needed
Total budget of the WaterAct project was 411 765 EUR. Interreg V-A Estonia-Latvia cross-border cooperation programme contributed 350 000 EUR and partners’ self-contribution was EUR 61 765. Development and testing of the web application including all workforce could account for ~1/4 of the budget.
Evidence of success
Over 330 users have joined the application, contributing to a database of over 3000 springs, including approximately 1500 previously unknown springs. They have made almost 2,500 new observations and added nearly 7,500 images. This valuable data source has been recognized by national water authorities and is being used to enhance the transboundary groundwater monitoring network between Estonia and Latvia.
Potential for learning or transfer
Citizen scientists play a crucial role in community water monitoring, providing data to national networks and improving resolution at lower costs. Engaging volunteers integrates local knowledge, educates communities, and encourages public participation in addressing challenges. Well-designed volunteer data collection can offer valuable insights for water managers and support decision-making.
Groundwater is often considered a hidden resource that remains poorly understood and mismanaged despite its global importance. Raising awareness of groundwater protection can be achieved through citizen science activities, supported by well-designed tools like our web application and clear guidelines.
Our best practices can be directly applied by adding new spring locations or adapted using our monitoring guidelines and web-based tools to create similar approaches. These elements are suitable for various nature and water studies, data gathering, and citizen science initiatives.
Further information
Documents
volunteer_monitoring_manual_ENG.pdf
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
