Air pollution monitoring: Precipitation Network

The Precipitation Network (Precip-Net) monitors the chemical composition and concentration of pollutants in rainwater. 

This network monitors the effects of wet deposition (when rain collects pollution from the air and carries it down to the ground) by pollutants that: 

• make the environment more acidic (acidification) 
• cause excess nutrients in water (eutrophication) 

The Precipitation Network is part of the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying Atmospheric Pollutants (UKEAP) Network, which monitors long-term pollutant trends in rural and remote locations. 

Get pollution data from this network 

Get pollution data and find monitoring stations by location. 

From 1986 to 2001, data from this network was published every week.  

Data from this network is now published every 3 months (every quarter). 

Pollutants this network measures 

This network measures the following ions in precipitation (rain): 

• ammonium (NH4+) 
• calcium (Ca2+) 
• chloride (Cl-) 
• magnesium (Mg2+) 
• nitrate (NO3-) 
• phosphate (PO43-) 
• potassium (K+) 
• sodium (Na+) 
• sulphate (SO42-) 

Monitoring stations in this network 

This network has 48 monitoring stations across the UK. They are all in rural background sites. Rural background sites: 

• are located so pollutant measurements do not come from one specific source 
• are in small settlements or areas with natural ecosystems, forests or crops  

List of monitoring stations 

• Ainsdale Dunes and Sands  
• Allt a’Mharcaidh  
• Auchencorth Moss  
• Balquhidder 3  
• Beaghs Burn  
• Braunton Burrows  
• Bure Marshes  
• Chilbolton Observatory  
• Crai Reservoir 2  
• Dersingham Bog  
• Driby 2  
• Ennerdale  
• Eskdalemuir  
• Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses  
• Finglandrigg Woods  
• Flatford Mill  
• Forsinard RSPB  
• Glensaugh  
• Goonhilly  
• High Muffles  
• Hillsborough  
• Ingleborough  
• Lindisfarne  
• Llyn Llydaw  
• Loch Dee  
• Lough Navar  
• Lullington Heath  
• Malham Tarn  
• Monks Wood  
• Moorhouse  
• Percy’s Cross  
• Polloch  
• Preston Montford  
• Pumlumon  
• River Etherow  
• Rothamsted  
• Roudsea Wood and Mosses  
• Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes  
• Stiperstones  
• Stoke Ferry  
• Strathvaich  
• Thorganby  
• Thursley Common 2  
• Tycanol Wood  
• Wardlow Hay Cop  
• Whiteadder  
• Yarner Wood  
• Ystradffin 

Monitoring instruments and methods 

Monitoring stations in this network collect rainwater samples in a bulk deposition collector – a funnel that collects the rain in a 3-litre sampling bottle. 

Local site operators collect the samples every 2 weeks and send them to a laboratory for analysis. The results are published every 3 months on UK AIR.  

Network start date 

This network started in 1986.