Monitoring, Modelling And Mitigating Pollution Impacts In A Changing World: Science And Tools For Tomorrow's Rivers

Lead Research Organisation: University of Stirling
Department Name: Biological and Environmental Sciences

Abstract

For centuries, human activities have impacted our rivers by shifting the sources and combinations of physical, biological and chemical drivers and pressures. However, our understanding of their impact on ecosystems has been limited by viewing each in isolation and not considering their combined effects. Significant reductions in some regulated pollutants (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) have been achieved in recent decades. However, even with these improvements, we are witnessing declining water quality of our rivers, and the resulting loss of freshwater species and biota. The picture that we see is made evermore complex by the increasing numbers of different types of emerging contaminants of concern (e.g. pharmaceuticals, pesticides, illicit drugs, micro plastics etc.). This means that our freshwater species are being challenged by a bewildering combination of pollutant cocktails (mixtures) whose effects are poorly understood. At the same time, climate-change driven shifts in water quantity (more frequent floods, longer periods of low flow) and warming waters are expected not only to be influencing the function, physiology, abundance and biological timings of freshwater ecological communities directly, but also the delivery and potential toxicity of these cocktails respectively. It is not simply the water pathway that we need to consider, but also the re-mobilisation of contaminants and the changing patterns of exposure that potentially magnify the effects on biota (i.e. organism sensitivity). Our wastewater systems and combined sewer overflows transport these emerging pollutants from our cities and towns into our freshwater environment. Increasing urbanisation and changes in rainfall intensity and its seasonality, different catchment processes all have the potential to increase inputs of these emerging contaminants to the environment and freshwater species that live there.

Substantial knowledge gaps remain around the effects of hydro-climatic and land use changes in combination with the different mixtures of chemicals on freshwater species. Our research will address these gaps by embracing the digital revolution through innovative technologies and transformative data analytics to deliver a step change in our knowledge and understanding. Our approach has three strands. The first will turn a spotlight on a typical catchment encompassing rural to urban land uses through rigorous investigations that will deliver high temporal resolution data. This will provide new understanding of acute/event-based impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Secondly, we will use national scale datasets and cutting edge data analytics tools to investigate the impacts of longer-term exposure to pollutant cocktails across the UK on water quality and ecosystem health. This will provide new understanding of chronic/long term impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Thirdly, we will integrate our new evidence base and understanding into a risk-based probabilistic model. The model will allow the exploration of the relationships between environmental change, declining river quality, multiple pollutants and ecosystem impacts. Our research will develop the evidence base to understand changing pollutant sources, delivery pathways and the environmental tolerances and boundaries within which organisms can thrive and flourish (i.e. the ecosystem safe space).

Together, MOT4Rivers will inform priorities for policy, regulation and investment to design cost effective programmes of measures to promote and enhance sustainable freshwater ecosystems under a changing climate.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description EPSRC IAA funding
Amount £22,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Glasgow 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 06/2023
 
Description University PhD scholarship
Amount £90,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Glasgow 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2023 
End 09/2027
 
Description DEFRA 
Organisation Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Development of opportunities to test ideas
Collaborator Contribution Steering Committee Advice and support
Impact Collaboration, advice and opportunities
Start Year 2023
 
Description DEFRA 
Organisation Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Development of opportunities to test ideas
Collaborator Contribution Steering Committee Advice and support
Impact Collaboration, advice and opportunities
Start Year 2023
 
Description JNCC 
Organisation Joint Nature Conservancy Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Discussion of opportunities, capability demonstrations
Collaborator Contribution Steering Committee
Impact Partnership building
Start Year 2023
 
Description SEPA 
Organisation Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Sharing data and discussion on results and implications University of Stirling and SEPA have a Sustainable Growth Agreement
Collaborator Contribution Attendance at the Steering Committee Data Sharing
Impact None yet directly from the project
Start Year 2023
 
Description Scottish Water 
Organisation Scottish Water
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution 1) Hydro Nation Chair Programme - £3.5 million R&I programme funded by Scottish Water to support SW to deliver net zero 2) MOT4Rivers provides key intelligence on impact of complex pollutants and interactions with climate extremes on river ecosystem health, and identify key mitigation measures that can be implemented
Collaborator Contribution Funding Support for Sensor Flow Trough Systems (£185,000) Match funding for PhD studentship (£35,000) Access to R&I team to support project Secondment from Scottish Water to support data sharing, visualisation between SW and MOT4Rivers Attendance and support at Steering Committee Data Sharing
Impact Growing the partnership
Start Year 2022
 
Description Scottish Water 
Organisation Scottish Water
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution 1) Hydro Nation Chair Programme - £3.5 million R&I programme funded by Scottish Water to support SW to deliver net zero 2) MOT4Rivers provides key intelligence on impact of complex pollutants and interactions with climate extremes on river ecosystem health, and identify key mitigation measures that can be implemented
Collaborator Contribution Funding Support for Sensor Flow Trough Systems (£185,000) Match funding for PhD studentship (£35,000) Access to R&I team to support project Secondment from Scottish Water to support data sharing, visualisation between SW and MOT4Rivers Attendance and support at Steering Committee Data Sharing
Impact Growing the partnership
Start Year 2022
 
Description SouthWestSensors ltd 
Organisation SouthWestSensor Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Validation of sensor equipment
Collaborator Contribution provision of sensors for the project contribution and advice to the project
Impact partnership building
Start Year 2023
 
Description UKWIR 
Organisation UK Water Industry Research Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Attendance at Steering Committee meetings
Collaborator Contribution Data sharing - CIP data Attendance at Steering committee Funding towards a PhD studentship
Impact Partnership building
Start Year 2023
 
Description Key Note 30th Anniversary of GeoEcoMar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact KeyNote at the 30th Anniversary of Romania's Institute for Marine Research - including the Danube
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://black-sea-maritime-agenda.ec.europa.eu/geoecomar-international-conference-2023-celebrating-3...
 
Description Mott MacDonald 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact one hour presentation on the Hydro Nation Chair, Forth-ERA, including MOT4Rivers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description NERC Freshwater Quality programme 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation as part of the NERC Freshwater Quality programme: MOT4Rivers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://water.leeds.ac.uk/events/
 
Description Presentation to Contain and Anglian Water 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation on Hydro Nation Chair and Forth-ERA Digital Observatory, including MOT4Rivers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description The International Environmetrics Society conference, Peterborough Canada 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact for this annual conference, I organised a session with colleagues on environmental digital twins, I gave the opening lecture
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description invited lecture at University of madrid joint with the Royal spanish mathematical society 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital earth - contributing to delivering net zero, nature plus and a sustainable world was the title of my lecture to this audience, as part of an industry engagement event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description invited presentation at world water day 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I gave an invited talk that presented the challenges facing digital water "digital environment for water resources"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description the international association of hydrogeologists Ineson event, London 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Digital earth systems: drawing intelligence from disparate data streams and models was my talk, intended to challenge the audience concerning preparedness for the increasing volumes of data.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023