Results from the most spatially detailed water quality dataset for Windermere have been published today by scientists from the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) and Lancaster University, in response to community concerns and gaps in traditional water quality monitoring.
The Big Windermere Survey (BWS) saw 350 citizen scientists collect more than 1,000 samples of water from Windermere and its wider catchment, during 10 sampling events spread across 2.5 years. Many of the 110 locations sampled had never previously been assessed for water quality.
The water samples were analysed for 15 key water quality parameters. The focus of the report published today is on the concentrations of phosphorus and the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Intestinal Enterococci (IE), critical indicators of ecosystem health and of the quality of water for lake users.
Within their analyses, scientists grouped sampling locations around Windermere's lakeshore into four areas - Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast. Water quality within each of these areas was then examined both seasonally and across the entire 2.5-year project.
The BWS report reveals that concentrations of E. coli and IE bacteria were highest in the summer months, at times when Windermere is especially popular for activities such as bathing and watersports. Based on the report data, concentrations of bacteria in the Northwest, Northeast and Southwest areas of the lake in summer were only consistent with standards for 'Poor' bathing water quality.
The elevated bacterial concentrations in summer are particularly concerning as they indicate an increased risk of gastro-intestinal illness if water is ingested.
In spring, autumn and winter seasons, lower concentrations of E. coli and IE were consistent with standards for 'Excellent' or 'Good' bathing water quality across all areas of Windermere.
Escherichia coli and IE are two groups of bacteria found in human and animal faeces. These bacteria can enter water from many different sources, including releases of treated wastewater from water company and private infrastructure, untreated sewage, runoff from agricultural land that hosts livestock, or via inputs from wildlife and birds that live in and around water.
All areas of Windermere were found to meet standards for 'Moderate' phosphorus status under UK legislation. This indicates that concentrations of phosphorus within the lake were higher than those required to meet the default target of 'Good' phosphorus status under this legislation.
Phosphorus primarily enters lakes through discharges of wastewater and runoff from agricultural or forestry land that has received inputs of phosphorus, such as from fertilisers. Elevated concentrations of phosphorus are of concern because they can trigger the process of eutrophication, resulting in negative changes within lakes. These changes include increased risks of cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) blooms, and decreases in dissolved oxygen concentrations in water that can threaten fish and other organisms living in lakes.
Beyond Windermere itself, the BWS also offers detailed insights into the water quality of rivers and other lakes across the wider Leven catchment.
Hotspots for the concentrations of phosphorus or bacteria are revealed around Windermere's shoreline at Waterhead, Millerground, Bowness Bay, Belle Isle, Mitchell Wyke Bay, southwestern shore sites, and near the River Leven outflow. Streams and rivers including Stock Ghyll, Black Beck, Mill Beck, Wilfin Beck and locations along the River Rothay also showed elevated concentrations of phosphorus or bacteria.
Simon Johnson, Executive Director, of The Freshwater Biological Association, said: "We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who have given thousands of hours of their time to gather the scientific data in this report. The evidence is clear and must lead to decisive action to improve water quality. We must all work together to transform the future of Windermere and deliver a cleaner, healthier and safer waterbody for all life to thrive.
"Windermere is home to a number of rare and increasingly threatened freshwater species including Arctic charr. Without decisive action to improve water quality, this species and potentially many more will face a steady and devastating decline.
"We hope these findings will not only advance scientific understanding of Windermere's water quality but also play a pivotal role in shaping future strategies to protect and enhance the health of the lake and its surrounding catchment."
Dr Ben Surridge, a Senior Lecturer at Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, said: "The Big Windermere Survey is a unique collaboration between professional scientists and members of various communities with an interest in the water quality of Windermere and its catchment.
"This collaboration has generated an unprecedented dataset which offers new insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of water quality in Windermere, built on exactly the same robust, scientific approaches used in water quality research.
"We look forward to working with partners within the catchment to ensure that evidence generated by the Big Windermere Survey informs action that leads to real improvement in the water quality of this iconic lake."
The team behind the Big Windermere Survey is calling for data from the project to underpin actions that address the multiple pressures on water quality in Windermere's catchment. These pressures include wastewater, both from water company assets and from privately managed systems, as well as land use activities within both rural and urban areas of the catchment. All land owners, farmers and asset owners have a collective responsibility to work together to improve Windermere's water quality.
The team will continue to work to ensure that the following actions are taken as a result of the findings published today. They will:
- Call on all organisations and individuals within the catchment holding the remit to improve water quality to engage actively with the results reported today, and to implement actions that will protect and restore Windermere's water quality. For example, they have clearly identified pollution hotspots in the catchment that should be resolved as a matter of urgency.
- Call for urgent investment which is needed both to ensure that all wastewater infrastructure (private and water company) is fit for purpose and adequately monitored, but also that the regulatory capacity exists to ensure pollution risks of all kinds are tackled with urgency and rigour.
- They will continue to explore future funding commitments to enable the Big Windermere Survey to continue as a proven model that engages local people in citizen science and provides the necessary evidence to inform actions that improve water quality.
- They will urge the Environment Agency to examine their bacterial data and to carefully consider issues such as the number of locations sampled for water quality analysis at designated bathing waters on Windermere, and the times of year monitoring is undertaken. There is also an urgent need for more regular and easily accessible communications to the community around water quality in their area.
The data from the Big Windermere Survey are being actively shared with a range of organisations both locally and nationally, as part of on-going conversations about the water quality of Windermere.
The report released today, alongside all the underpinning data, are freely and openly available for anyone with an interest in Windermere to examine. The full report, link to the data and an overview of the Big Windermere Survey is available online https://www.fba.org.uk/the-big-windermere-survey
The Big Windermere Survey is an innovative and impactful collaborative project between the Freshwater Biological Association and Lancaster University, designed to assess the environmental health of Windermere, a vital and iconic body of water within the UNESCO Lake District World Heritage site. This project stands as an inspiring example of community engagement and scientific collaboration, highlighting the power of citizen science in driving meaningful environmental change and science-driven action for freshwaters.
