Short answer

The summary section at the top of your MyHydroscape dashboard shows four headline numbers: total submissions, unique species, counties covered, and collections contributed to. Each one tracks a different dimension of your activity.

The four numbers

Total submissions

Every record you've ever submitted across every tool. A biodiversity sighting counts as 1. A cormorant report counts as 1. A water quality report counts as 1. A deterrent log counts as 1. A roost count counts as 1.

If you submitted 12 records today, your total goes up by 12.

Unique species

How many distinct species names appear on your records. Biodiversity sightings contribute their recorded species. Cormorant sightings all count as a single species (Cormorant). Deterrent logs contribute the targeted species. Water quality reports don't have a species, so they don't affect this count.

Useful for measuring variety — are you recording the same species over and over, or broadening your range?

Counties

How many distinct UK counties you've recorded in. Calculated from the GPS or postcode on each submission. A record from Nottinghamshire, another from Derbyshire, another from Lincolnshire puts you on three counties.

This is the number the Geographic badge category watches.

Collections

The five record types are called "collections" in the Firestore database that backs Hydroscape. The five are:

The collections number shows how many of these five you've contributed to. If you've submitted a biodiversity and a water quality, your collections number is 2. Submit a cormorant too and it's 3. Submit to all five types and you unlock the "All Five" badge.

Why these four

Together they capture the four dimensions of what makes a good contributor:

You could be strong on one and weak on another. A bailiff on a single stillwater complex might have huge volume and modest coverage. A nature writer on a tour of the UK might have modest volume and huge coverage. Both are valuable. The badges reward both.

Where to go next