Ranger Jacqueline Diaz-Nieto said that there was “greater awareness” of the need to protect rivers thanks to high-profile national campaigns and media coverage.
Ms Diaz-Nieto admitted that she had become “frustrated” that the Environment Agency were not sharing the frequency and locations of incidents reported in Sheffield.
“We wanted to create something user-friendly for anyone to use. The idea is to build up the evidence and be completely transparent, everyone can see what everyone else has uploaded,” added Ms Diaz-Nieto.
The app also includes a map of incidents that will help the rangers build up a wider picture.
Ms Diaz-Nieto said that the group was “positive” about the current condition of the Rivelin.
“The river health is good and we want to make sure it stays this way. There’s good biodiversity and if we keep track of anything we’re unsure about that can only help,” she added.
Users can download the free EpiCollect5 app and search for the Sheffield River Rangers project.
