Our understanding of water pollution sources and their ecological impact has significantly advanced in the last decades. Major advancements have been possible thanks to automated water quality sensing techniques, novel separation techniques such as field-flow-fractionation, inferring ecological function from stream metabolism metrics and eDNA, and developments in modelling tools driven e.g. by the increasing access to high-resolution DEM data and satellite imaging. Further advancements are likely to emerge from the fusion of these datasets and techniques. This session will bring together examples of application of these novel tools for improving scientific understanding of dynamic freshwater ecosystems and their catchments, specifically for detecting water quality and stream ecology change over time and in response to natural and anthropogenic drivers such as global change. We also welcome contributions presenting examples of knowledge transfer to freshwater monitoring and management and freshwater-oriented collaborations between scientists, stakeholders, citizens, and authorities.