Introducing the Run-off Reporter

Any time you see soil running off a field, either on to a road or into a water course, this is pollution. Our new tool enables anyone in the catchment to quickly capture the details of a pollution event and report it to the appropriate authority. 

With run-off causing more than 80% of the Wye's pollution issues according to the latest figures, we desperately need everyone's help in identifying where and how soil is entering the river and damaging the ecosystem that we all hold dear.

Afonydd Cymru has an excellent page explaining why healthy soils are crucial for healthy rivers. For starters, healthy soils hold more water, reducing flood risk.  

Excessive soil entering a river smothers the gravels, destroys fish spawning grounds and changes the ecology of the river. Soil can also carry nutrients and chemicals. 

A major reason that soil ends up in our rivers is through inappropriate land use, with a lack of vegetative cover. 

If you see a stream which is significantly more discoloured than the receiving watercourse, this is a sign of excessive soil loss. 

So if you see soil run-off, please take plenty of photos and report it right away - it will store all the key information and give you straightforward instructions on the quickest and most effective way to report to the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales, depending on whether you're in England or Wales.