Pond quality metrics from the Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring & Modelling Programme, Wales, 2021-2023

This dataset consists of freshwater pond quality data for sites across Wales in 2021-2023. Data include macrophyte and aquatic invertebrate species records, water chemistry, pond quality metrics, and environmental variables such as pollution, grazing and management from surveyed ponds. Ponds were surveyed within a set of 71 x 1km squares across Wales, collected as part of the Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring and Modelling Programme (ERAMMP) National Field Survey. ERAMMP NFS is a resurvey of locations from the initial Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (GMEP) monitoring program on a rolling annual basis, with the aim to resurvey all sites between 2021 and 2025. Between 2021-2023 ERAMMP National Field Survey resurveyed 71 squares for pond features. The initial monitoring program, GMEP, was set up by the Welsh Government in 2013 to report national trends and monitor the effects of the Glastir agri-environment scheme on the environment and ran from 2013 to 2016. The field survey element was based on a stratified random sampling design of 300 x 1km square sites across Wales (not all squares surveyed in this program contained pond features). It was managed by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.