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Bristol part of new £2.3m Defra funding to research diffuse pollutants for the Hampshire Avon

3 February 2010

A consortium including Dr Jim Freer from the School of Geographical Sciences in the University of Bristol have been successful in a recent award of £2.3m from Defra to research and monitor diffuse pollutants at multiple scales until March 2014. This is part of a national Demonstration Test Catchments initiative, where in total 3 catchments have been awarded similar funds to study other regions of the UK (catchments of the Eden and Wensumare also funded).

The aim of the project is to establish the infrastructure and conduct experimental research to quantify both the hydrology and the responses of multiple diffuse pollutants including nitrates, phosphorus, sediment, faecal indicator organisms, dissolved organic carbon and ammonium. This research will improve our understanding of how these pollutants move through catchments with diverse landscape and land use types. Ultimately this will inform UK policy on specifying which adaptation and mitigation measures should be used to minimise impacts of pollutants on the environment.

Main collaborators for this project are: Dr Adrian Collins (PI – ADAS), Professor Penny Johnes (University of Reading), Dr Helen Jarvie and Dr Pam Naden (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Dr Kit McLeod (North Wyke Research), Professor David Kay (Aberystwyth University), Dr Paul Davison (ENTEK) with additional contributions from other collaborating institutions (Exeter, Queen Mary, Kingston University and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust).

Dr Jim Freer

Dr Jim Freer

This research will improve our understanding of how these pollutants move through catchments with diverse landscape and land use types.