Principal Investigator:
Prof SN Lane and Prof A McDonald
Dates:
1st February 2001 – 30th September 2004
Grant:
Environment Agency
Summary:
To determine scientific information requirements to make and implement long term sustainable upland river basin management decisions
Objectives:
- To carry out the first phase of a project to establish the skeleton instrumentation and clarify the scientific information required to provide the Agency and its partners with sound scientific information to make and implement strategic longer term river basin management decisions, using Upper Wharfedale as a demonstration site.
- To use the process developed and information obtained to assist river basin management in other upland areas.
This objective supports many elements of the Agency’s vision – wiser, sustainable use of natural resources, limiting and adapting to climate change, restored and protected land and healthier soils and an enhanced environment for wildlife. It follows on from North East Region’s work on upland land management e.g.: ‘Understanding River Bank Erosion’, R&D on grazing.
The outputs from this phase will be used to shape and define the detail of the following objectives to be addressed in Phase 2 to guide management solutions:
- To determine the hydrological consequences of past moor land drainage practices i.e.: gripping, forestry and grazing practices, including whether the solution of grip blocking is an effective management strategy.
- To determine whether forests on deep organic soils generate colour through the drought effect of the forests and if so, when this will be released.
- To establish why the coarse sediment load of this river has overcome existing management strategies.
- To determine the risks and costs involved in the management of ‘perched’ hydrologically active, high sediment load rivers.
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