The Big Windermere Survey

Launched jointly by the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) and Lancaster University, the Big Windermere Survey has recruited a team of local volunteer citizen scientists to help assess the environmental health of Windermere.

The Big Windermere Survey has completed nine rounds of surveys representing two full year’s worth of data spanning the four seasons for 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Citizen scientists are trained to collect water samples from approximately 100 different locations on Windermere and in the rivers and lakes that flow into it. The samples are analysed for nutrient and bacterial concentrations at independent laboratories, producing the largest, one-day snapshot of conditions in Windermere.

Windermere is a centerpiece of the UNESCO Lake District World Heritage site. Ecologically important, for example, as a home to rare fish species including the Arctic charr, Windermere is also a major destination for tourists and an increasingly popular venue for water sports such as wild swimming, kayaking and sailing.

However, concerns have been raised about the health of the lake, in particular because of algal blooms and bacterial pollution, including Faecal Indicator Organisms, that can potentially harm animals and humans. The Big Windermere Survey focuses on the key nutrients and bacteria that lie behind these issues, contributing to scientific understanding of water quality at Windermere and supporting the development of future initiatives to improve the condition of the lake.