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WI members begin water testing to protect river

Jane Davis A woman wearing trousers and a blue top is taking a water sample from the River Coquet which is wide and quite fast flowing. She is just in front of a old bridge Jane Davis
Testing takes place at 30 sites along the River Coquet

Dozens of members of the Women's Institute (WI) have begun testing a river's water as part of a long-term project to improve its biodiversity.

Three groups at Amble, Warkworth and Rothbury in Northumberland are part of the Coquet River Action Group (Crag), a new partnership of community groups which want to protect the river catchment.

They have begun testing at 30 sites along the river to produce a database of information about the river's health.

Chair of Crag Jane Davis said: "The Coquet is one of England's most beautiful rivers and we want to keep it that way."

Jane Davis Two women in their sixties stand at a table on which there are various testing apparatus. They are talking together and discussing results Jane Davis
The tests are done fortnightly in most places and weekly in the summer

"The idea began in 2023 when the national WI passed a resolution Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife, which Rothbury WI wanted to support," Ms Davis said.

"We contacted the Northumberland Rivers Trust that wanted to get some sort of citizen science testing of the water quality going.

"I set up a meeting with other WIs, some parish councils and other environmental groups and it just grew from there really."

Jane Davis A woman is standing in front of a small foldup table on a riverbank. She is wearing yellow gloves and is about to do some testing Jane Davis
WI members do some of the testing but other groups also help

The group wants to build a database showing water quality over time, and tests are done on the same day every month, and then at least fortnightly.

They use kits approved by the Environment Agency to measure the electrical conductivity, PH, temperature and levels of phosphate, ammonia and nitrate in the water.

Jane Davis Four people sit at a table at a public meeting. Three are seated and one woman is on her feet giving a speech Jane Davis
Crag is made up of WI members, parish councils and environmental groups and the Northumberland Rivers Trust

It took about half an hour to do the main set of tests but people could be taught quite easily, Ms Davis said.

Crag is planning other projects, such as tackling invasive species like Japanese Knotweed, testing for e-coli to support applications for bathing water status, and a riverfly survey.

Ian Glendinning An aerial view of Barrowburn in Upper Coquetdale a remote valley in Northumberland. The landscape is green with a farm in the foreground and a river winding down through a steep sided valley Ian Glendinning
The highest point for testing is at Barrowburn in the Upper Coquetdale

"In the very long term there may even be a River Coquet footpath along its entire length," Ms Davis said.

"But for the moment, we just want to develop wildlife corridors, link up species and just do our best to protect and enhance the river and all the ecosystems that rely on it".

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