Publication history: Accepted - 7 June 2022; Published online - 1 July 2022This review considers enhanced approaches to river water quality monitoring in
north-western Europe following a series of study visits (11 sites in 7 countries). Based
on the evidence gathered, options were identified and evaluated for their suitability
to deliver specific water quality monitoring objectives and with a focus on effecting
behavioral change. Monitoring programs were diverse, ranging from enhanced grab
sampling and laboratory analysis to sub-hourly sampling of multiple parameters and
nutrients in autonomous high-specification, bank-side or mobile laboratories. Only one
program out of all the cases evaluated could readily identify influences that had produced
behavioral change among stakeholders. This was principally because the other programs
were focused on top-down policy change or surveillance rather than specifically focused
on influencing behavior. Nevertheless, program researchers were clear that stakeholder
engagement potential was very high and that the sites acted as important focus points
for discussion on water quality issues, and so part of a suite of tools that might ultimately
change behavior. This identifies a space where water quality monitoring solutions could
be adapted for behavioral change research.This study was funded by the Department for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast (Project 17/4/07)