New nutrient monitoring dashboard transforms Teifi River protection
Led by Ceredigion County Council in collaboration with the West Wales Nutrient Management Board (WWNMB), the Teifi Nutrient Monitoring (TNM) project has unveiled its groundbreaking nutrient management sensor dashboard, a first of its kind, now live on the Council’s website.
This cutting-edge platform leverages advanced technology to address water quality challenges in the Teifi River catchment.
The dashboard integrates data from sensors deployed across key locations on the Teifi and its tributaries. These sensors, supported by Lacuna’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, ensure continuous data transmission, even from remote areas, providing stakeholders with a timely and up-to-date view of critical water quality parameters, such as phosphate levels and river height fluctuations.
The Clearwater high-frequency sensors have proven remarkably resilient during recent storms, continuing to provide valuable data even in challenging conditions. In addition to monitoring water quality, the dashboard imports river height levels during extreme weather events, offering year-on-year comparisons that are beneficial for nutrient management, flood management, and other Council services.
Collaboration between many organisations and people has been key to providing the dashboard. Citizen Scientists play a vital role by conducting on-the-ground monitoring and contributing additional data through handheld tools provided by Ceredigion County Council, such as phosphate checkers and pH meters. Their fieldwork complements the sensors’ output, closing evidence gaps and enriching the dataset available through the dashboard.
In addition to the sensor dashboard, Ceredigion County Council has also developed a one-of-a-kind software tool to allow data to be gathered from mobile applications used by the Citizen Science groups in the field which is also now accessible on the Council website and will enable users to look at and analyse current citizen science reporting.
The software will continue to be enhanced as the team deploys more sensors, to capture more readings supported by satellite uplinks in the coming weeks.
Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration and Chair of the Teifi Nutrient Management Board, highlighted the importance of teamwork: “The launch of this dashboard is a testament to the power of collaboration. By combining Lacuna's advanced satellite technology, our partners' expertise, and our Citizen Scientists' dedicated efforts, we’re creating a unique solution to safeguard our rivers and ecosystems. This is innovation in action, delivering real-world benefits to our environment and communities.”
The dashboard is a core part of the Teifi Nutrient Monitoring (TNM) Project, funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund and administrated by the Cynnal y Cardi team, Ceredigion County Council and delivered in conjunction with the WWNMB and its stakeholders., It is supported by the Rural Connectivity Accelerator (RCA) project, which the Council is part of and is funded by the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms also commended the project: “As demonstrated here in Ceredigion, technology can not only help to transform our lives, but the ecosystems around us too.
“By pairing connectivity technology with incredible community efforts, sustainability projects can excel. This collaboration is a great example of how advanced satellite communications can support innovative solutions for environmental monitoring, helping to preserve Britain’s rivers for generations to come.”
Join our stakeholder group, or deep dive into the dashboard and other Nutrient assets on the Nutrients on the Teifi River - Ceredigion County Council webpage.