Quality garden ponds take center stage during Our Water Week
What is the state of water quality in Dutch garden ponds? That is the central question during Our Water Week. The organizers of Our Water Week, together with Waterdiertjes.nl, are calling on people to assess the quality of ponds by counting aquatic animals from May 1 to May 16.
Everyone can participate
Waterdiertjes.nl has been in existence since 2018 as an initiative of various knowledge institutions and water managers. Anyone can participate in scientific research into water quality by catching aquatic animals and reporting them on Waterdiertjes.nl.
From the hundreds of measurements taken since 2018, it is striking that the water quality of garden ponds in particular regularly scores very well, but also poorly and very poorly. Why this is the case is not yet clear. "These ponds have the potential to become real water gems in the built environment. That is why it is very useful to learn more about these differences in water quality," explains scientist Edwin Peeters of Wageningen University, who is involved in Waterdiertjes.nl.
Research in your own backyard
With a scoop net, a shallow white container, and a smartphone or tablet with Wi-Fi, you can help measure the water quality in garden ponds. "Scoop through the aquatic plants and open water with your net. Put some clean water in the white container and turn your net inside out," explains Peeters. At Waterdiertjes.nl, participants can use the images to find out exactly which animals they have found. The number of animals spotted can then be entered and submitted. Peeters: "Once you have submitted your measurements, you will immediately see the quality of your pond. We also ask a number of additional questions to find out more about the situation." At the end of Our Water Week, Waterdiertjes.nl hopes to be able to report the first results of this citizen science project.
Aquatic animals are a good indicator of dirty or clean water. "The presence of many different animals and plants indicates good water quality. In the Netherlands, water managers such as the water boards are increasingly ensuring that the banks of ditches are constructed in a nature-friendly manner and that fish passages are created at pumping stations. In this way, they are ensuring greater biodiversity in Dutch surface water," says Edwin Peeters. "On a smaller scale, private individuals can also do this by creating ponds in their gardens and keeping track of which animals live in the pond via Waterdiertjes.nl."
A green garden is a blue garden
In addition to people installing ponds in their gardens because they like the look of them, they also contribute to strengthening biodiversity in the Netherlands and preventing flooding. By ensuring that the pond has a wide bank and not filling it completely, a pond can function as temporary rainwater storage during heavy downpours. In addition to these types of rainwater ponds, during this Week of Our Water, Dutch water managers are advising private individuals to make even more water-friendly choices in their gardens, on their balconies, facades, and roofs. A green garden is a blue garden. By using lots of greenery, you can help to collect excess rainwater and reduce heat-related nuisance.
Our Water Week
Our Water Week is an initiative of the national government, water boards, provinces, municipalities, drinking water companies, and Rijkswaterstaat. These organizations want to make Dutch citizens more aware of the special nature of water. They do this by showing what water management involves in the Netherlands and by explaining what people themselves can do in the event of flooding, waterlogging, and drought, and how we can help to keep our water clean.
Activities during Our Water Week
There is a fun treasure hunt on the dike in Lauwersoog! We have a beautiful cycling route from Gemaal De Waterwolf to Lauwersoog.
