The hydrological function of organo-mineral soils in downstream flood risk
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Sch of Geography
Abstract
This project will seek to understand hydrological processes operating in upland organo-mineral soils and how their management and vegetation cover influences river flow peaks. This novel field, lab and modelling project will expand our knowledge on the function and hydrology of upland soils which are of high conservation value. The project will directly provide Natural England with urgently needed management decision-making evidence on upland soil management for flood peak reduction. Organo-mineral soils cover around 20 % of the UK, and are particularly common in upland areas with the main types being stagnohumic gleys and acid brown earths. Unlike peatlands, the function and hydrology of organo-mineral soils is globally very poorly understood with major gaps in the literature. These soils typically underlie upland heathland and grasslands in areas with high conservation value. It is unclear whether these soils are dominated by throughflow (and what their typical permeability range is), infiltration-excess overland flow or saturation-excess overland flow in different topographic contexts and rainfall events. It is also unclear how management of organo-mineral soils impacts their role in runoff generation.
There is an urgent need for evidence on 'nature-based' flood management solutions, particularly in UK uplands - source areas for the UK's major rivers. Recent modelling work on peatlands by U. Leeds has shown that controlling overland flow velocities by changing the surface cover conditions in key spatially identifiable parts of the catchment can play an important role in reducing flood peaks (by up to 20 % for some rainfall events). However, we do not have data from organo-mineral soils, which are likely to function quite differently to peat, to inform such modelling and so practitioners have limited basis for upland management decisions which may benefit those downstream at risk of flooding.
Study design: The above issues will be tackled through a combined monitoring, experimental and modelling approach providing PhD skills benefits involving: 1) Measure and determine the dominant hydrological pathways (e.g. overland flow, subsurface flow) through monitoring of flow volumes / rates though and over stagnohumic gleys and acid brown earths (controlling for slope position using the topographic index), moisture content & water-table depths; 2) permeability tests to measure the hydraulic conductivity (U. Leeds have a novel permeameter system allowing 25 soil samples to be tested simultaneously, allowing high throughput); 3) experimental overland flow velocity measurements by supplying water to plots and measuring the velocities for different slope angles, flow depths and vegetation conditions. The above three approaches will be used on areas of hillslope in Cumbria to test for differences in hydrological function related to soil condition and surface cover. The design will incorporate soils that have been assessed by Natural England to be in different states of degradation including high quality Atlantic Heath (dense dwarf shrubs with an understory of mosses), poor Atlantic heath, good acid grassland and acid grassland that has heavy grazing.
The three field and laboratory steps above will then enable the student to: 4) modify a new spatially-distributed version of TOPMODEL recently developed by U. Leeds; 5) use the model to test different spatial organo-mineral land-cover scenarios to test optimal solutions to reduce downstream flow peaks.
There is an urgent need for evidence on 'nature-based' flood management solutions, particularly in UK uplands - source areas for the UK's major rivers. Recent modelling work on peatlands by U. Leeds has shown that controlling overland flow velocities by changing the surface cover conditions in key spatially identifiable parts of the catchment can play an important role in reducing flood peaks (by up to 20 % for some rainfall events). However, we do not have data from organo-mineral soils, which are likely to function quite differently to peat, to inform such modelling and so practitioners have limited basis for upland management decisions which may benefit those downstream at risk of flooding.
Study design: The above issues will be tackled through a combined monitoring, experimental and modelling approach providing PhD skills benefits involving: 1) Measure and determine the dominant hydrological pathways (e.g. overland flow, subsurface flow) through monitoring of flow volumes / rates though and over stagnohumic gleys and acid brown earths (controlling for slope position using the topographic index), moisture content & water-table depths; 2) permeability tests to measure the hydraulic conductivity (U. Leeds have a novel permeameter system allowing 25 soil samples to be tested simultaneously, allowing high throughput); 3) experimental overland flow velocity measurements by supplying water to plots and measuring the velocities for different slope angles, flow depths and vegetation conditions. The above three approaches will be used on areas of hillslope in Cumbria to test for differences in hydrological function related to soil condition and surface cover. The design will incorporate soils that have been assessed by Natural England to be in different states of degradation including high quality Atlantic Heath (dense dwarf shrubs with an understory of mosses), poor Atlantic heath, good acid grassland and acid grassland that has heavy grazing.
The three field and laboratory steps above will then enable the student to: 4) modify a new spatially-distributed version of TOPMODEL recently developed by U. Leeds; 5) use the model to test different spatial organo-mineral land-cover scenarios to test optimal solutions to reduce downstream flow peaks.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Joseph Holden (Primary Supervisor) | |
Stephanie Bond (Student) |
Publications
Bond S
(2020)
Seasonal vegetation and management influence overland flow velocity and roughness in upland grasslands
in Hydrological Processes
Kirkby M
(2021)
Some examples of spurious correlation in the literature
in Hydrological Processes
Bond Stephanie Grace
(2022)
The hydrological function of organo-mineral soil grasslands in UK uplands
Bond S
(2021)
Upland grassland management influences organo-mineral soil properties and their hydrological function
in Ecohydrology
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NE/P009085/1 | 30/09/2017 | 30/03/2022 | |||
1981784 | Studentship | NE/P009085/1 | 01/01/2018 | 30/03/2022 | Stephanie Bond |
NE/W503125/1 | 31/03/2021 | 30/03/2022 | |||
1981784 | Studentship | NE/W503125/1 | 01/01/2018 | 30/03/2022 | Stephanie Bond |
Description | PhD submitted March 2022. Key findings are as follows: Associated academic publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hyp.13842 - Vegetative surface roughness has a significant influence over overland flow velocity in upland grassland habitats and the extent of influence in 'slowing the flow' is seasonal, depending on growth, decay and management of vegetation/habitat types - In response to the same applied flow event, overland flow velocity in a haymeadow can be up to 50% faster than in a rank grassland Associated academic publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eco.2336 - Overland flow occurs up to 60% of the time in upland grassland habitats underlain by organo-mineral soils, and is primarily saturation-excess overland flow - Duration of overland flow occurrence is longer in habitats excluded from grazing. This is attributed to increased vegetative roughness which retains water for longer. - Management of grasslands underlain by organo-mineral soils is a significant driver of flood risk and mitigation; significant differences in soil moisture and overland flow occurrence were recorded through fieldwork Associated academic publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hyp.14766 - Rainfall-runoff (hydrological) modelling was undertaken for Swindale catchment, Cumbria, UK, and Calderdale catchment, West Yorkshire, UK, using Spatially-distributed TOPMODEL. Two scenarios were investigated. The first scenario modelled seasonal changes in vegetation roughness, quantifying the effect on flood peaks at the catchment scale. The second scenario modelled the influence of grassland management from historical high-intensity grazing through a series of natural succession stages between grassland and woodland, and a conservation-based management. For Scenario One, seasonal changes in vegetative roughness were shown to increase overland flow runoff peaks by up to +2.2% in winter and reduce them by -5.5% in summer compared to the annual average. For Scenario Two, overland flow peaks were reduced by up to 41% in Calderdale where extensive woodland development was the most effective mitigation strategy, and up to 35% in Swindale, where a rank grassland dominated catchment was the most effective. Conservation-based farming practices were also useful, reducing overland flow peak by up to 42% compared to the high intensity grazing scenario. Full thesis: https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/31285/ |
Exploitation Route | The results may be used to inform grassland management practices for natural flood management, and in flood modelling to better inform how land use contributes to flood mitigation. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
Description | Data from the research has been used in rainfall-runoff modelling to inform natural flood management decision making in the Upper Rother (Don catchment) near Sheffield, and in the Swinton Estate, North Yorkshire. Publication regarding seasonal roughness influence to overland flow velocity has been included in a Welsh government soil policy evidence programme (https://www.gov.wales/assessment-impact-land-use-organo-mineral-soils) |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | Contribution to natural flood management government advisory document |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Title | Seasonal vegetation and management influence overland flow velocity in upland grasslands - dataset |
Description | Collated measured data from overland flow hillslope flume fieldwork in Swindale, Lake District, UK. Data includes mean flow velocity, mean flow depth, slope angle, flume length, Darcy-weisbach roughness and habitat description. All data collected in 2019. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | - Surface roughness has a significant influence on overland flow velocity and changes seasonally as the results of vegetation growth, decay and management - This data can be used in hydrological modelling to compare the influence of vegetative roughness on downstream flood risk |
URL | http://archive.researchdata.leeds.ac.uk/657/ |
Description | Natural England CASE partner |
Organisation | Natural England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Provision of research in areas of interest to Natural England. Expertise in hydrology, soils and vegetation research. Data analysis and figures they are able to use to improve services within Natural England. |
Collaborator Contribution | Training in vegetation identification and mountain navigation training. Introduction to other collaborative partners. Direction towards areas of research most relevant towards industrial stakeholders. SSSI permission applications. Career advice and work experience shadowing. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Ecology, Hydrology, Flood management, Farming practice, Legal processes and policy |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | RSPB Haweswater Partnership: RSPB and United Utilities |
Organisation | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Research carried out on United Utilities owned (RSPB tenanted) land. Research data and outcomes made freely available to both companies to inform them on the current state of their land, success/failure of management processes researched, and ways they could change management processes. |
Collaborator Contribution | Free accommodation at the RSPB Haweswater farmhouse. Storage and transport of equipment. Advice about the local environment and how they currently manage the land. Land access permissions. Introduction to Lake District based collaborators. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Land owners, land managers, ecologists, hydrologists Outcomes: Talks at Haweswater research conference |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | RSPB Haweswater Partnership: RSPB and United Utilities |
Organisation | United Utilities Group PLC |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Research carried out on United Utilities owned (RSPB tenanted) land. Research data and outcomes made freely available to both companies to inform them on the current state of their land, success/failure of management processes researched, and ways they could change management processes. |
Collaborator Contribution | Free accommodation at the RSPB Haweswater farmhouse. Storage and transport of equipment. Advice about the local environment and how they currently manage the land. Land access permissions. Introduction to Lake District based collaborators. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Land owners, land managers, ecologists, hydrologists Outcomes: Talks at Haweswater research conference |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | River Basins Processes and Management Research Cluster |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Geography Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Research expertise and opportunities for further research |
Collaborator Contribution | Research expertise and opportunities for further research, advice on funding and conference presentations, introduction to external collaborators |
Impact | Natural Flood Management specialist interest group Multidisciplinary: ecology, hydrology, glaciology |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | water@leeds |
Organisation | water@leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Presentation of research, provision of expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of expertise, introduction to researchers in a similar research field for potential collaborations |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: physical, biological, chemical, social and economic sciences, engineering and the arts |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Catchment Summer School, University of Birmingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Attended the 5 day Catchment Summer School held at the University of Birmingham. This involved a week of receiving teaching and advice on catchment hydrology, including sharing my own research projects. I was able to meet people undertaking similar research and ask specific questions about study methods (sensors/fieldwork/paper writing) which were invaluable to developing my PhD. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/water-sciences/summer-school/index.aspx |
Description | Creation of flood management resources for schools (Yorkshire wide) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Generation of a teaching resource about natural flood management for schools in Yorkshire, to be used by the Leeds University outreach team and encourage students to learn more about careers in environmental sciences |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Lake District Research Stakeholder Discussion Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A whole-day presentation and discussion meeting between Lake District stakeholders including Environment Agency, RSPB, United Utilities, Woodland Trust, JBA Consulting, National Trust and University partnerships. The purpose of the meeting was to present and discuss current research occurring in the Lake District, to encourage communication between groups and highlight future research opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Maths workshop to undergraduate Geography students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Twice-weekly undergraduate workshops to teach and encourage students with maths and statistics skills related to research. Examples were taken directly from this PhD project and students were able to form their own research analysis ideas using the skills taught. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
Description | NERC Advanced Training Short Course: Natural Flood Risk Management |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Attendance at the NFM course which covered: • Fundamentals of hydrological processes and measurement with field exercises • Evaluation of the NFRM evidence base • NFRM framework illustrated with exercises in opportunity mapping, modelling and stakeholder co-production • Flood 'event set' analyses using hands-on 2D flood inundation modelling and physical sandbox modelling • Risk & resilience estimation with spatial joint probability analysis • Detailed NFRM modelling practical using Dynamic-Topmodel with uncertainty estimation including decision analysis software • Co-benefits of NFRM with hands-on Benefits-Cost analyses Discussed the research project with postgraduate students and industry professionals to gain insight into NFM and apply it to the PhD project. Presented my (proposed) work and got invaluable feedback for how best to proceed. Made good links to other universities |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.therrc.co.uk/events/nerc-advanced-training-short-course-natural-flood-risk-management |
Description | Outreach programme about sustainability to primary schools in Leeds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Working with IntoUniversity, a workshop on Sustainability was created which involved video-blog style teaching sessions, poster activities and a 'call the expert' session within which climate change questions were answered and the children were encouraged to be more sustainable. This is an ongoing project with multiple workshops planned at different schools in Leeds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
Description | Poster presentation and presentation slide at 'Natural Flood Management: Does it work?' British Hydrological Society National Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented a poster for the British Hydrological Society meeting. The initial flume research was also included as part of a presentation slide by a member of University of Leeds River Basins Processes and Management Research Cluster. These two presentation methods led to discussions with the University of Manchester and University of Lancaster about future research collaborations. Following this, The University of Manchester shared overland flow sensor designs in return for details on the hillslope flume design and a technician from the University of Lancaster helped with some fieldwork to see the flume working. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://www.hydrology.org.uk/assets/BHS_NFM_24042019_flyer.pdf |
Description | Presentation at BHS2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation of PhD research to British Hydrological Society conference 2022 in Lancaster, UK. Networking and collaboration opportunities were created, including new use of the techniques presented in research at other academic institutions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Presentation for and workshop with the Endangered Landscapes Programme Cumbria |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Workshop to generate a proposal for a national/EU funding bid to create the Endangered Landscapes Programme in Cumbria. Representing the University of Leeds, I gave an overview of our current research in Cumbria, including for my PhD, and advised on monitoring and evaluation processes for the proposed research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presentation for the River Basins Processes and Management Research Cluster |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presentation to the River Basins Processes and Management Research Cluster at the University of Leeds to highlight Natural Flood Management (NFM) research. Following this presentation, and presentations of similar work, a NFM specialist interest group was formed to share ideas and collaborate on fieldwork/data analysis. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/geography-research-river-basin-processes-management |
Description | Presentation to Natural England Northern Regional Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Regional meeting for Natural England also attended by policy makers and leaders from other UK regions. Presentation was given about managing upland grasslands and I received several emails afterwards asking specific questions which may be implemented into future management decisions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Presentation to the British Hydrological Society Pennines Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation of results from this PhD, with specific focus on mosaic grassland management for flood mitigation. Presentation was recorded and shared on YouTube and is viewable by members of the public. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://water.leeds.ac.uk/news/british-hydrological-society-waterleeds-research-showcase/ |
Description | water@leeds Lightning Talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation to academics and research partners who are involved with water@leeds, one of the largest interdisciplinary centres for water research in any university in the world. The research was discussed after the presentation with a variety of academics from disciplines across the University of Leeds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://water.leeds.ac.uk/about-us/ |