Urban Flood and Water Resilience in an Uncertain Future
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Energy, Geosci, Infrast & Society
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
- Heriot-Watt University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (Collaboration)
- The Open University (Collaboration)
- Scotland's Rural College (Collaboration)
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) (Collaboration)
- Mid-Lothian Council (Collaboration)
- West Lothian Council (Collaboration)
Publications
Ahilan S
(2019)
Modelling the long-term suspended sedimentological effects on stormwater pond performance in an urban catchment
in Journal of Hydrology
Allen D
(2017)
Contamination of Detained Sediment in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
in Water
Allen D
(2018)
The short-term influence of cumulative, sequential rainfall-runoff flows on sediment retention and transport in selected SuDS devices
in Urban Water Journal
Allen D
(2017)
Multiple rainfall event pollution transport by sustainable drainage systems: the fate of fine sediment pollution.
in International journal of environmental science and technology : IJEST
Alsubih M
(2016)
Experimental study on the hydrological performance of a permeable pavement
in Urban Water Journal
Alsubih M
(2018)
Influence of sediment on the hydrological performance of a permeable pavement
in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management
Arthur S
(2016)
Editorial
in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management
Arthur S
(2018)
Editorial
in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management
Ebrahimi M
(2018)
Experimental Study on Scour at a Sharp-Nose Bridge Pier with Debris Blockage
in Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Fenner R
(2019)
Achieving urban flood resilience in an uncertain future
Description | This project to explored the scope for retrofitting SUDS on industrial estates to manage water quality problems, and is focused a large Huston Industrial Estate. The key outcomes are: 1. Greater understanding of the awareness of SUDS technology and relevant regulations; 2. Worked with business/land owners to understand what types of SUDS would be suitable within the risks and any constraints presented at the site; and 3. We understand better the willingness to install and evaluate the role incentives can play We also investigated how different blue/green infrastructure investment pathways and future land use change scenarios affect the natural capital in the London Borough of Sutton. This showed that it is possible to develop areas whilst also limiting the negative impacts on nature. The project also studied the ecology of SUDS ponds in an effort to better understand the multiple benefits they provide. |
Exploitation Route | The works shows that installing green infrastructure in new and existing developments can reduce their environmental impact. |
Sectors | Construction Environment |
Description | The results of the research have been incorporated in non-academic publications and design guidance. For example: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/8/4560 |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Construction,Environment |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | IAPETUS2 - Impact of blue/green infrastructure interventions and future land use scenarios on dynamic evolution of natural capital |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Durham University |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | Investigation of the potential for SUDS retrofitting at Industrial Estates |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales (CREW) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 12/2018 |
Title | HIE SuDS Questionnaire DB |
Description | A questionnaire was designed to gauge awareness of SuDS technology and relevant pollution regulations. The questionnaire had a 'Yes/No' format, and contained a checklist of 10 types of SUDS features, asking for a response to two categories of prompts - is the company familiar with the technique and is there an example of it on their premises at Houston? Colour photographs were used to aid recognition of specific features. This questionnaire was posted or emailed to the majority of premises on Houston Industrial Estate (HIE), and delivered by hand when that was not possible or when no response to the original letter was received. To date, more than 60 responses have been received and encoded within a Microsoft Access database. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The following information will be disseminated through a conference publication. Preliminary analysis of the results revealed that 14.75% of the companies claimed familiarity with SuDS technology, whilst 9.84% of all comapanies appeared to be truly unfamiliar with it. However, the majority of the companies (75.41%) appeared to be familiar with specific SuDS features illustrated on the checklist, but were unfamiliar with the term 'SuDS'. The majority of these companies (50) were familiar with more than one feature, and many ticked more than half of the SuDS types offered on the list. However, many of the potential plot techniques were unfamiliar to most companies. The Experience of flooding did not appear to be a decisive factor influencing awareness of SuDS. Less than a quarter of all companies were aware of general binding rules (GBR) regulating pollution prevention at industrial sites, and ownership of the premises did not appear to be a decisive factor influencing that knowledge. Our observations, and analysis of the questionnaire results also revealed that some of the newer premises already have SUDS. These are predominantly areas of permeable pavement and, to a lesser extent, gravel filter drains. A number of companies also claimed ownership of some other SuDS features (e.g. detention basin), but that has not as yet been verified on inspection. |
Description | Collaboration with Midlothian Ranger Service |
Organisation | Mid-Lothian Council |
Department | Midlothian Ranger Service |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | HW team carries out monitoring of a number of Green Infrastructure features, and one of the study sites is located within the jurisdiction of midlothian ranger service. The data are, therefore, useful for their records and aid understanding of the patterns of environmental dynamics and ecological functioning of the site. |
Collaborator Contribution | Midlothian Ranger Service has provided logistical support as regards access to the site, and shared very important information. |
Impact | to follow |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with Open University |
Organisation | Open University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provide logistical and advisory support for a mature student Derek Christie who takes part in our investigations of SuDS plankton |
Collaborator Contribution | Derek provides an invaluable contribution by processing pond samples, compiling photographic evidence, and taking part in identification of planktonic species and assessing their relative abundance. |
Impact | Derek is a coauthor on a number of our presentations (inlcuding the forthcoming public dissemenation event in Newcastle) and also on the paper submitted for the ICONHIC conference proceedings. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with RBGE |
Organisation | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Within the UFR consortium, Heriot Watt team is conducting a monitoring and modelling study on a number of features of Blue-Green infrastructure, including SuDS and natural ponds. Cooperation with RBGE is mutually useful in that respect, as it sharing the information and expertise. RBGE has also been one of our study sites |
Collaborator Contribution | Cooperation with RBGE has been very useful, and HW team benefited from expert advise of David Chamberlain, Rebecca Yahr, Liz Kungu and Peter Brownless, among others. |
Impact | To follow |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with SRUC |
Organisation | Scotland's Rural College |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Kayoko Takezawa, a Master student from SRUC supervised by Gerard O'Brian, has taken part in our field work and has contributed to research by investigating the occurrence of epiphytic lichens and introduced plants at SuDS sites. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have provided logistical and advisory support |
Impact | This collaboration contributed to the results reported in a submitted conference paper |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Secondment in Oregon, USA, hosted by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council |
Organisation | Upper Deschutes Watershed Council |
Country | United States |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Research on Whychus Creek watershed comparing geomorphological, physical and biological characteristics and overall functioning of the restored, transitional and unrestored reaches. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of accommodation and transport for field work. Provision of literature on the local ecosystems |
Impact | My efforts contributed to the overall research project, which ultimately has led to a number of presentations and public dissemination activities. The specific details can be obtained from the host organisation. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | West Lothian Council |
Organisation | West Lothian Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Analysis of data |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of data |
Impact | Potential drivers for retrofits identified so far include the potential for reduced water charges, and the scope for capturing rainfall for use in a technological process (including wash waters). Among the initial barriers identified so far are the lack of awareness, time and logistical constraints, branch mentality, and the lack of incentive. A detailed consideration of barriers will be a subject for further work. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Conference presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Vladimir KRIVTSOV, Brian D'ARCY, Chris SEMPLE, Alejandro Escribano SEVILLA and Scott ARTHUR. Mitigating polluted runoff from industrial estates by SUDS retrofits: case studies from Scotland. 6th IAHR Europe Congress, Feb 15th - Feb 18th, 2021, Warsaw, Poland. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://iahr2020.pl/ |
Description | Conference presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Vladimir KRIVTSOV, Valerie OLIVE, Steve BIRKINSHAW, David CHAMBERLAIN, Kayoko TAKEZAWA, Scott ARTHUR, Jim BUCKMAN, Rebecca YAHR, Derek CHRISTIE, Juliane BISCHOFF, Ryan PEREIRA. Ecosystem services provided by Blue-Green Infrastructure: a comparative study of two adjacent SUDS retention ponds. 6th IAHR Europe Congress, Feb 15th - Feb 18th, 2021, Warsaw, Poland |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://iahr2020.pl/ |
Description | Conference presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Krivtsov V, Needham T, Buckman J, Gogoi P, Arthur S, Birkinshaw S, Kraiphet A, Gu W, and Thorne C. A study of suspended and sedimented particles in urban ponds: analysis of chemistry, size distribution, and implications for sedimentological processes in lentic environments. BSRG 2020, University of Liverpool and SedsOnline, 20-23 Dec 2020. https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/schoolofenvironmentalsciences/earthoceanandecologicalsciences/events/BSRG2020,abstract,volume.pdf |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://tinyurl.com/3ffcw6ss |
Description | Conference presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Krivtsov V, Birkinshaw S, Forbes H, Olive V, Chamberlain D, Lomax J, Buckman J, Yahr R, Arthur S, Takezawa K, Christie D. (2020). Hydrology, ecology and water chemistry of two SuDS ponds: detailed analysis of ecosystem services provided by Blue Green Infrastructure. FRIAR 2020 - 7th International Conference on Flood and Urban Water Management, 28-30 September 2020 (online). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2020/friar-2020 |
Description | Edinburgh Living Landscapes GI Practitioners Event, Edinburgh (October 2017) |
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 | This was, essentially, a working group meeting related to the Green Infrastructure. The participants provided updates on their relevant activities, which followed by discussion, and planning for the future |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Internet Blog devoted to the SUDSnet conference and Heriot Watt Research on retrofitting SUDS at industrial premises |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The Internet Blog devoted to the SUDSnet conference and Heriot Watt Research on retrofitting SUDS at industrial premises: http://www.sgif.org.uk/index.php/news-and-events/blog/239-sudsnet-2018 Basically, it is promoting SUDS, as well as aiming to disseminate the research conducted by the Heriot Watt team Please note that the original version of the blog is at http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/blue-greencities/2018/09/18/sudsnet-international-conference-and-network/ but there is also an alternative (copy) version at the SGIF: http://www.sgif.org.uk/index.php/news-and-events/blog/239-sudsnet-2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/blue-greencities/2018/09/18/sudsnet-international-conference-and-netwo... |
Description | Poster presentations at Heriot Watt and Edinburgh University Postdoctoral Forums |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This entry relates to the poster presentations (on BGI/SuDS ponds) at Postdoc forums |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
Description | Presentation at the SUDSnet conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This was a presentation at the SUDSnet conference: Vladimir Krivtsov, Brian J. D'Arcy, Scott Arthur and Chris Semple (2018) Potential for retrofitting SUDS at Houston Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian. Presentation at the SUDSnet conference, Coventry, UK, Aug 2018. Abstract published in the book of abstracts, and the presentation is available at https://issuu.com/abertayuniversity/docs/sudsnet2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://issuu.com/abertayuniversity/docs/sudsnet2018 |
Description | Presentations at SUGIR meetings |
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 | These entry relates to the meetings of SUGIR (Scottish Universities Green infrastructure Research Group). On behalf of HW team, I have made a number of presentations related to our research ob retrofitting SuDS at Houston Industrial Estate, and on the functioning of SuDS ponds around Edinburgh and Lothians. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | Presentations at TWIC conferences |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Poster presentations and short talks on the TWIC conferences, intended to provide information on the BGI/SUDS research, in particular as regards investigations of their biodiversity value and provision of ecosystem services |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | RRC workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk to the river Reseration Rentre conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.therrc.co.uk/conference |
Description | SNIFFER workshop - I gave a talk at this Scottish Goverment funded event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This was a session for the SNIFFER Flood Risk Management conference (30-31st January 2020) on SUDS / Blue-Green cities. I spoke about how the impact of high density development can be mitigated. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.hutton.ac.uk/blogs/h2ohutton/shining-light-latest-flood-risk-management-scotland |
Description | SNIFFER workshop - I gave a talk at this Scottish Government funded event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk to the online SNIFFER FRM Conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.sniffer.org.uk/news/frm-2021-flood-risk-management-and-green-recovery-call-for-contribut... |