Putting people at the heart of river recovery
Our rivers need our collective action, backed by evidence. CaSTCo (Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative) is building a shared understanding of monitoring data so that citizen scientists can work alongside professionals to restore rivers together.
CaSTCo: A national standardised framework
CaSTCo brings together the expertise and backing from more than 30 organisations nationwide, including community and local partnerships, water companies, environmental charities, regulators, technical experts, academics, and the private sector. Together, we’re demonstrating how citizen science and community monitoring methods can be used alongside professional monitoring to generate and share accessible data of known quality so that the information produced leads to better and more impactful decisions. Learn about CaSTCo
Monitoring methods
We need monitoring tools that are capable of answering our questions. CaSTCo reviews monitoring methods through an audit process that identifies the methods’ strengths and appropriate use. It also provides guidance and investment to strengthen method protocols, training, and data management. This process improves data quality and interoperability so that data of known quality gets into the hands of decision-makers.
Data
We need information about catchments that is robust, transparent and trusted. CaSTCo is working with partners to identify common approaches to ensure data can be used for decision-making. Importantly, we recognise that data needs to be more easily findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. Our principles for data governance support best practices and are the foundation for future data system development.
‘Weight of evidence’
We need tools that allow us to use information from different sources. The ability to combine information that has been collected for different purposes using a variety of tools is central to the CaSTCo approach. Communities’ passion for river protection, as well as their local knowledge and expertise, are highly valuable in complementing regulatory, research, and other remediation monitoring efforts. Sharing best practices, robust protocols, and data standards means that the data communities collect can be more easily combined and utilised as a part of a ‘weight of evidence’ approach to diagnosing issues, helping us identify solutions and work together to make a bigger impact on river health.
Latest content
Creating resources collaboratively is ongoing and there are long-lists of methods and guidance documents we’re working on. In an effort to share insights quickly, we’re expediting posting content here (you may notice some are in draft format). Here are a few:
CaSTCo in practice
Our knowledge base shares best practices for individual methods, but the real magic happens when best practices are integrated, enlivened by the community, and co-managed by expert partners!
View stories that exemplify CaSTCo principles: they’re collaborative, impactful, open, rigorous, and future-minded. More case studies from River Usk, Mersey Catchment, Arun & Rother, Beane Catchment, WestCountry CSI, and more are coming soon.
- Earthwatch: Great UK WaterBlitz
- Rivers Trust: Big River Watch
- Severn Catchment: Citizen science bacteria testing
- Thames21: EMPOWER Rivers
- Water Rangers: Community Lab
- Wensum catchment: Citizen science helps resolve pollution issue
Many organisations and collaboratives outside of the demonstrator catchments of this project also represent CaSTCo principles, and it’s important that they, too, are represented. Those organisations can now request to join.
People-powered
Citizen scientists are an important part of the ecosystem of monitoring and helping collect evidence to complement other types of monitoring. The strength is in numbers and their ability to be the eyes on the ground, noticing when things change.
Since 2022, our partner organisations (and those abiding by CaSTCo’s principles) have shown the power of citizen science in taking care of rivers.
This only represents a fraction of the hours and locations we know are out there! If your organisation would like to be included on our map and in our stats, please fill out this form.
42,000+
Volunteer citizen scientist hours
4,500,000+
Citizen science datapoints recorded and shared
10,000+
Locations monitored by citizen scientists
Where is CaSTCo?
Our demonstrator catchments are located around the country and have been helping innovate new approaches, test new methods, and showcase the power of collaboration! We are preparing many more case studies and looking to make this map representative of the incredible efforts.
We recognise that many more organisations and groups abide by CaSTCo principles and will be adding them regularly. If you believe your organisation should be here, request to be added.
“We are both active partners in each of the CaSTCo demonstration catchments and through our internal project. Bring that all together and ensure that there’s some standardization and therefore the use of that data can be much more tangible for those amazing citizen scientists who are going out and collecting it.”
– Lydia Ashworth, Citizen science coordinator for West Midlands, Environment Agency. Read this case study
“It has been a momentous year for the Wensum Catchment Partnership, with citizen science making significant headway in not only removing pollution, but giving us the confidence to challenge the status quo of strategic models on nutrient apportionment. Our voice is now listened to round the table and much of this is down to your combined efforts.”
– Kelvin Allen, Chair, Wensum Catchment Partnership Read this case study
Project leads
This project was created through the OFWAT Water Breakthrough Challenge and led by United Utilities and The Rivers Trust.
Contributing organisations
