About RainWatch
RainWatch is a two-year citizen science project led by VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre and Teagasc. The project brings together farmers, schools, local communities and researchers to better understand how rainfall varies across the Blackwater catchment and what these differences mean for grass growth, grazing management and water quality.
Rainfall can vary considerably over relatively short distances. For farmers, these local differences can influence grass growth, soil conditions and day-to-day grazing decisions. RainWatch will create a network of local rainfall observations to help researchers better understand this variation and explore how more locally representative weather data could improve grass growth predictions.
Alongside the scientific research, RainWatch will give schools, farmers and communities opportunities to collect their own rainfall data, compare results and learn more about the importance of weather, water and agriculture within the Blackwater catchment.
How will RainWatch work?
RainWatch has two connected parts:
Farmer Weather Station Network
Weather stations will be installed on 14 participating farms across the Blackwater catchment.
These stations will automatically record local weather information, including:
- Rainfall
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Dew point
The data collected will contribute to research examining local rainfall patterns and their relationship with grass growth. A key objective is to investigate whether more detailed local weather information can support improved grass growth predictions and grazing management.
The network will also help researchers explore relationships between
rainfall, agriculture and water quality across the catchment.
Schools and Community Rainfall Monitoring
Schools, community groups and interested citizens will also be invited to become RainWatch participants. If you are interested in participating please sign up here: (click here to visit the sign up form).
Participants will use simple rain gauges to collect rainfall measurements during two four-week monitoring periods, one in spring and one in autumn.
Click here for how to make your own rain gauge
Participants can log their weekly rainfall using the link here and see the local rainfall averages on our interactive map. Those located along the Blackwater catchment area will be able to compare their rainfall collected with weather station data in the area.
The RainWatch team will work with participating farmers to identify engagement activities that suit their interests and availability.
The initial research and engagement programme will run for two years. The weather stations are intended to remain on participating farms beyond the project where they continue to be appropriately maintained.
Learning and engagement
RainWatch is designed to ensure that participants do more than simply collect data.
Throughout the project, the team will develop activities and resources based on the needs and interests of participating farmers, teachers and communities. Planned activities include:
Farmer discussion resources exploring grass growth, rainfall, water quality and catchment science.
Farmer-led events and activities.
Training and resources for agricultural advisors.
Classroom resources and practical rainfall-monitoring activities for schools.
Teacher professional development linked to agricultural science.
Community and public events across the Blackwater catchment.
Online and social media activities sharing RainWatch observations, results and stories from participants.
Feedback from participants will also be collected throughout the programme to understand what they learned, how useful they found the activities and how RainWatch could be improved.
