School of Geography - Faculty of Environment

PROJECTS & WORK IN PROGRESS

Current Projects

Yorkshire Water AMP5 Strategic Research Partnership.

PI.
Funded by Yorkshire Water.
April 2010 - March 2015

Strategic partnership formed between Yorkshire Water and the University of Leeds to aid the delivery of catchment management and telemetry research.

ACCWA (Approaching Climate Change for Water Resources Adaptation).

CoI.
Funded by Worldwide Universities Network
December 2009 - December 2012

ACCWA evaluates the social, economic and environmental effects of climate change on water resources in upper and middle income countries and impacts on global water governance. Through the development of new tools and interdisciplinary techniques, the project addresses the major issues that cut across natural, social and political science disciplines.

Impacts of moorland management on flooding

PI.
Funded by Yorkshire Water.
January 2010 - June 2010 

An increasing focus has been given to flooding since the events of 2000, Boscastle 2004, Carlisle 2005, and, most recently, those of 2007 and 2009. Climate change appears to be leading to more intense storm events and more prolonged medium intensity events which will make flooding more common. As the land management options (e.g. grip blocking, heather mowing, vegetation change) that are being employed on Yorkshire Water's land to reduce dissolved organic carbon losses will have a significant impact on hydrology this has obvious implications for flooding. This literature review will establish our current understanding of the impact of moorland management on flooding and propose a research agenda. 

Catchment management for reduction of dissolved organic carbon in water supplies.

PI.
Funded by Yorkshire Water.
December 2007 - August 2010

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in water supplies is a highly significant problem for some water utilities, which requires expensive treatment technologies to produce safe drinking water. An alternative to these engineered approaches is catchment management. Various land management strategies (e.g. grip blocking, cessation of heather burning, vegetation manipulation) are available which could reduce DOC levels and this project is further refining our understanding of their impacts on water quality. Moreover, for the first time, the work is attempting to make a difference at the catchment scale so that improvements in water quality are seen at the water treatment works.