The Big Windermere Survey is about to launch its Summer collection and it needs sample collection volunteers.

The Big Windermere Survey is a citizen science project run by the Freshwater Biological Association and Lancaster University that aims to provide evidence and understanding about water quality in Windermere.

The next survey will take place on Sunday, August 13, between 10:00-12:00, to collect water samples from Windermere and the rivers and lakes that flow into it.

Anyone can get involved and no previous experience is needed to volunteer.

Volunteers are trained to collect water samples from over 100 locations around Windermere, which are analysed for nutrient and bacterial concentrations at independent laboratories, producing the largest, one-day snapshot of conditions in Windermere.

Getting involved as a volunteer is a great way to help collect valuable data to assess the water quality of the Windermere catchment.

There are sampling locations all over the catchment, from Grasmere down to Newby Bridge, you can see them on this map.

They have both onshore and offshore locations, for those who wish to stay on dry land, or perhaps head out on your paddleboard, to collect samples.

After collecting your water sample kit and watching our 20-minute training video, which takes you through step-by-step how to take a sample, the morning involves going to your allocated sample location to collect your sample, then taking it back to one of our four drop-off hubs based around Windermere to be sent off for analysis.

To date, the Big Windermere Survey has included four surveys, summer and autumn 2022, and winter and spring 2023, representing a year of data spanning the four seasons.

This collection will be the first time that three collections have taken in one year

Further information about the project and results from previous surveys can be found on their website.

To get involved with the Big Windermere Survey on Sunday, August 13, and become a freshwater scientist for the day, email the project officer, Emma Kelly, at windermere@fba.org.uk or sign up directly here.