Connecting Communities with Freshwater at "whats in the water?" Llanrwst

North Wales Rivers Trust Lab Dwr volunteers recently attended the Dyffryn Dyfodol ‘What's in the Water?’ event in Llanrwst. The event brought together local communities, organisations, volunteers, artists and environmental groups to explore our connection with freshwater and the River Conwy catchment.

Throughout the afternoon, North Wales Rivers Trust hosted a table focused on freshwater invertebrates, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the fascinating creatures living beneath the surface of our rivers. These small animals are excellent indicators of river health and provided a great way to start conversations about freshwater conservation, citizen science and the work being carried out by the Trust across North Wales.

Alongside this, volunteers from the Conwy Lab Dwr Hub demonstrated water quality monitoring techniques and spoke with members of the public about becoming involved in the citizen science project Lab Dwr. Visitors were able to learn about chemical testing, while discussing how local people can contribute valuable data from their own stretches of river.

A particularly engaging display was delivered by two volunteers from the Clwyd Lab Dwr Hub and Friends of the Earth Cymru, who used microscopes to reveal the hidden world of freshwater diatoms. Visitors were able to view these microscopic algae up close and learn how they can be used to assess water quality and environmental conditions within rivers and streams.

The event also featured a series of talks celebrating the cultural and historical importance of the River Conwy. Community members shared stories about their relationship with the river, while local school children presented a film and shared their own perspectives on the Conwy and its future.

Thanks to Dyffryn Dyfodol for having us and to our Lab Dwr volunteers for offering their time. If you are interested in joining the Conwy Lab Dwr Hub please email jack@northwalesriverstrust.org