Nov. 2, 2009 (United Press International) -- IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency announced a water management operation that will cover more than 130 of Ireland's beaches and lakes.

IBM, working with An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, is collecting and analyzing large amounts of complex environmental data from Ireland's coastline and lakes. The data is then analyzed for water quality, tides, weather forecasts and more. That information is then made available to the general public via a Web site called "Splash."

"Though the total amount of water on the planet has never changed, the nature of the water has," said Sharon Nunes, vice president of IBM's Big Green Innovations program. "Everything from where rain falls to the chemical makeup of the oceans is in flux, and it continues to change in real time. By providing near-real-time access to water conditions, we're enabling environmental agencies and citizens alike to make smarter decisions about everything from how to handle changes in water quality to where to plan their next vacation."