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1st September 2015

Review of existing knowledge – emerging contaminants; Focus on nanomaterials and microplastics in the aquatic environment

This comprehensive review covers the sources, impacts, risks and monitoring of water related ‘known-unknowns’, including potential emerging contaminants of concern within Scottish watercourses; data availability; impact assessment on ground and surface water including WFD compliance (and coastal environments-Bathing Water Directive); and current and future risks, monitoring and assessment methodologies.

 
1st November 2015

Scotland's Water Sector: An overview

Interactive wheel demonstrating the  interactions between key actors, and their relative level of  influence; Cover images courtesy of: Division of Environmental Engineering and Systems Visualisation,  University of Abertay Dundee

The purpose of this research is to produce a map that demonstrates the scope and scale of Scotland’s water sector and demonstrates how the different parts of the sector link together. It demonstrates how the decision making processes that influence, manage and control Scotland’s water resources are distributed throughout the sector. This research supports the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation Strategy.

 

Soil drainage and physical degradation study seeks assistance of farmers

Farmers across Scotland were recently asked about soil science research needs. Drainage and soil structural damage were viewed to be the greatest concern.

 
1st January 2016

Are Scotland’s soils really wetter in winter than in the past?

Good soil structure and field drainage systems are key to achieving good water quality and minimising flood risk. They are also vital for agricultural productivity and in the greenhouse gas balance of many soil systems.

 
1st March 2015

Benefits of private water supply grants

Private water supply; Cover photograph courtesy of: Janine Young, Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Private water supplies provide ~3% of the Scottish population with their main source of drinking water. Many more people encounter private supplies when they stay in holiday accommodation and visit the more remote parts of Scotland, although PWS can be found in urban areas. The quality of these supplies is variable; many have adequate treatment and are well managed, but others present a risk to health due to the quality of the raw water and inadequate, or absent, treatment. For many communities relying on water supplies outwith the public distribution network it may be difficult to afford the capital costs required for improvement.

 

IUCN NCUK River restoration & biodiversity expert workshop report

raph courtesy of: Stephen Addy (the Rottal Burn, Angus, Scotland in July 2013 after remeandering was completed in August 2012)

Restoration of river habitats by restoring physical habitats offers significant opportunities for improvements to biodiversity. To date in the UK and Republic of Ireland (RoI) there have been many different examples and types of restoration work undertaken. Despite this progress there remain issues relating to the quality of the evidence base for restoration, its implementation and its promotion as a viable strategy to improve river biodiversity, ecosystem status and maintain the key services that we rely on.

To help promote river restoration throughout the UK and RoI, a three-phase project is being carried out with the support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) National Committee UK (NCUK). Phase 1 reviewed the literature on river restoration (Ecus Ltd., in press). As part of the second phase of the project, a workshop featuring the combined expertise of specialists in river restoration was held. The findings from the Phase 1 report and the workshop will feed into an accessible report that will review the state of river restoration and its role in supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services and make recommendations for its future implementation.

 

CREW’s role is to support staff in SG, SEPA and Scottish Water (our end users) in their work to develop and implement water related policy in Scotland. As policy needs evolve, CREW also continues to evolve.

 
1st June 2015

Spatially distributed modelling in support of the 2013 review of the Nitrates Directive

Cover photograph by David Riley © The James Hutton Institute

This report summarises the work undertaken at the James Hutton Institute of a modelling analysis of nitrate loads across Scotland as one stream of evidence to help underpin the NVZ review being undertaken by SEPA for the Scottish Government. This modelling work formed part of the core RESAS funded research.

 
1st May 2014

Piloting a water restoration park in Scotland

This report responds to a CREW call down request submitted by Scottish Water to support the establishment of a pilot Water Restoration Park at a waste water treatment works (wwtw) to reclaim, recycle and market the waste water. The research sought to investigate potential locations to pilot a Water Restoration Park, regulatory frameworks and potential markets for the recycled water.

 

Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Waters, CREW, delivers objective and robust research and expert opinion to support the development and implementation of water policy in Scotland. During 2012-13 CREW has supported policy teams working on Hydro Nation, flood risk management, catchment management and the Water Framework Directive, drinking water and waste water services, as well as wider policy.

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