CRW2023_01: Hydro Sector engagement over environmentally effective and cost-efficient sediment management at impoundments
Type of project: Capacity Building
Aim: The project has two main aims. The first is a science communication exercise to raise awareness in the hydro sector of basic river geomorphological processes. This will provide a platform to help raise awareness of: (a) the ecological importance of sediment continuity to rivers and of the environmental risks of not properly addressing this in permit applications; and (b) of the commercial risks posed by climate change-related increases in the rate of sediment delivery to hydro and water supply impoundments. The second aim is to improve understanding and raise awareness of the cost effectiveness of different sediment management options available to address these risks. These improved levels of understanding will make the process of applying for, issuing, and reviewing permits more efficient for hydro-scheme operators and SEPA respectively.
Key questions:
- To what extent are hydro-scheme operators aware of the hydrological and geomorphological impacts of climate change and of the associated risks to their operations over decadal to century time scales?
- To what extent are operators aware of the effects of their activities on sediment transport and the consequent effects on river habitats and species in adjacent river reaches?
- To what extent are the operators aware of the different sediment management options available to them and to what extent have they considered using them at their sites?
- What are the potential cost-benefits of applying these different options and to what extent are the operators aware of them?
Project Status: Project in progress
News
CRW2023_05: Future predictions of water scarcity in Scotland: impacts to distilleries and agricultural abstractors
CREW Code: CRW2023_05
Theme: Hydrological Extremes, Coasts and Risk Management
Project status: Project complete. Click here to visit the publication page to view the project outputs.
Type of project: Capacity Building
Lead research team: The Jame Hutton Institute
Scotland’s climate is changing, and we expect to see further changes in seasonal precipitation patterns that may increase the frequency and severity of water scarcity conditions, including droughts. Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to water scarcity and environmental stress (formally defined in Scotland as when river water levels are less than 5% of their normal flows, for more than 30 days). Overall, droughts are predicted to increase particularly in the eastern parts of Scotland. These changes are likely to affect water users in these regions, particularly agriculture (livestock, arable and horticulture) and the distilling sector.
The aim of this project was to provide summaries of the future predictions of water scarcity in Scotland and the impacts this may have, tailored to three groups of abstractors: crop producers, livestock producers and distilleries. The project summarised evidence on changes to the availability of surface waters and groundwaters for abstraction; as well as changes to climatic water balance for rainfed farming systems. This evidence was then put in the context of how the water resources are being used by the three groups and how future water scarcity may impact the sector.
The evidence review highlighted that there is likely to be overall deficit in climate-water balance during the summer months in eastern Scotland, with some uncertainty about how the shoulder months of April and September will be affected; that the number and duration of surface water drought events are likely to double by the middle of the century; and that there are questions about the resilience of groundwater supplies, particularly in areas with low storage and decreasing potential recharge. Overall, our farmers and distillers focus group participants were aware of water scarcity as a business risk. The irrigated crop sector and the distillery sector have invested in technological solutions, such as efficient irrigation systems, offline irrigation lagoons and thermal vapour compressing, whereas the rainfed farming systems identified fewer adaptation options. Several barriers to wider uptake of adaptation options were identified. Recommendations are provided, including the need for increased data on actual water used by abstractors, alongside expanding the monitoring and analysis of groundwater resources, to improve our understanding of the different dimensions of water scarcity; and ways to overcome barriers to uptake of the available adaptation responses.
This project has completed. Click here to visit the publication page to view the project outputs.
CRW2023_02: Creating healthy and resilient river systems across Scotland: prioritising research and development gap opportunities for river woodlands.
Type of project: Capacity Building
Aim: The overall aim of this project is to prioritise the research and development (R&D) gap opportunities identified in the Riverwoods evidence review for creating healthy and resilient river systems through improved riparian and floodplain management in Scotland, and identify opportunities to address these gaps to enable investment in new and extended river woodlands, and improved/restored riverscape environments.
Project Status: Project in progress
CRW2023_03: Assessing the impact of forestry on water quality in Scotland: A review of modelling capabilities
Type of project: Capacity Building
Aim: The overall aim of this project is to review the current and potential risks to water quality from commercial forestry operations and the suitability of available models to assess these risks.
Key questions:
- Which pollutants are of most concern?
- What types of water bodies and associated habitats are most susceptible to deterioration from forestry pressures (e.g., increased or reduced flow)?
- Can we identify the most common risk factors?
- Are the data available to understand the spatial distribution of these risk factors
- How can the pollutant loss associated with these risk factors be estimated? Are there sufficient data / literature /expert judgement?
- Can we develop a range of risk scenarios for forestry similar to the SAGIS scenarios for agriculture?
- Are there models already available which could model these risk scenarios?
- If necessary, which model developments would be needed to model forestry accurately
Project Status: Project in progress
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CRW2022_05 Understanding the relationship between water scarcity and land use in private water supply catchments – a review
CREW code: CRW2022_05
Theme: Land and Water Resource Management
Type of project: Capacity Building
Project status: Complete
This project aimed to compile an evidence base and offer recommendations informing policy and practice regarding how land use changes may impact the amount of water available to private water supplies (PWS). The focus was on the impacts to water availability from emerging land use trends of tree planting (afforestation and agroforestry) and wind farm development in Scotland.
The project involved a review of the available scientific evidence and a review of international PWS policies and practices considering PWS in relation to tree planting and wind farm development, and stakeholder engagement. Key findings included that tree planting effects on water availability vary widely based on a complex set of inter-related factors, such as timing, spatial orientation, extent of planting, tree species, and landscape characteristics, including previous land use. Agroforestry effects are generally smaller than for afforestation, but they are more sensitive to specific planting details. Wind farm effects also depend on landscape factors and specific characteristics like type, number, and density of turbines, with limited research available for Scottish landscapes.
The key findings of the project emphasize the need for better data, data availability, integrated policies, and stakeholder engagement to prevent negative impacts on PWS amidst changing land use change trends.
This project has completed. Click here to visit the publication page to view the project outputs.
News
Poster session: RESAS Science, Evidence, and Policy
This is achieved by ensuring that the right information gets to the right people in the right way at the right time. The programme offers three types of projects that address research gaps for CREW’s ten requesting organisations, these projects are delivered by Higher Education Institutes.
CREW’s poster for this session highlights an overview of the themes and approach for the 2022-2027 programme, a project spotlight shows how CREW operates in practice and the impact footprint detailing CREW’s project lifecycle and intended impact.
RESAS Science, Evidence, and Policy Conference 2023
The CREW team attended the Research Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division of Scottish Government (RESAS) Science, Evidence, and Policy Conference held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on 18 May 2023.
The conference brought together stakeholders from across the rural and environmental research and policy landscapes in Scotland.
Researchers and policy makers from across the public sector discussed key cross-cutting strategic issues, research community priorities and potential future evidence needs.
Key messages/challenges:
- Need to bridge the gap between science and policy
- Science and evidence are needed to support emerging and future policy changes
- Need transition to systems thinking approach
- Focus on ‘just’ transitions
- Do we accept to accept change?
- We must use our agency to take action now and affect change in the real world
Launch of Hydro Nation Energy Innovation Programme
At World Water Day this year (22nd March 2023), the Hydro Nation Energy Innovation Programme (HNEIP) officially launched. Check out the World Water Day video here: https://youtu.be/v8dFM7-ZQhc
The HNEIP is a new four-year programme funded by the Scottish Government that will coordinate a wide range of academic expertise to support Scotland’s water industry to develop innovative new products and approaches to help drive down emissions.
Read the full story here: Launch of new innovation programme to support the reduction and elimination of carbon emissions in the water supply sector (etp-scotland.ac.uk)
World Water Day 2023 Recap
World Water Day – Edinburgh 22 March 2023
On World Water Day Scotland joined the global water community on March 22nd World Water Day with a hybrid event on the theme of ‘Accelerating Change through Partnerships and Cooperation.
The CREW team attended the World Water Day Conference held in Edinburgh. This year’s conference was led by Hydro Nation International Centre, with support from CREW, The James Hutton Institute, the Hydro Nation Scholars, and the Scottish Government.
The speakers and attendees were challenged to ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ recognising the role of water as a catalyst for that change across these five sub-themes:
- Water and health
- Water and sustainable engineering
- Water and digitalisation
- Water and international cooperation
- Water and policy
The plenary sessions focussed on how emerging research is translated to ‘settled science’ that can inform policy. From wastewater testing for the presence of COVID-19 to scientific research of emerging contaminants such as PFAS, microplastics, and emerging concerns like anti-microbial resistance. View the Full Programme here and the Policy Brief here, containing the key messages from the day.
CREW held its second Annual CREW Lecture following the World Water Day Event, with a keynote from renowned international expert on participatory projects, Minni Jain, who challenged us all to:
‘Speak the language of water to regenerate, rejuvenate and return the water cycles on our planet to health again.’
Leading Ideas Hub!
In September 2022, CREW attended the Leading Ideas Hub at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, a two-day event organised by SEFARI Gateway. The event brought together a range of professionals to share ideas and advice on best knowledge exchange practice. It was a great opportunity to meet other scientists, policy advisors and stakeholders to explore methods, best practice and innovation in knowledge exchange.
Across the two days the presentations focused on five key themes: engagement, skills, collaboration, innovation and impact. The sessions were led by a diverse range of speakers that shared their wealth of experience from different perspectives, which enabled interesting and engaging panel discussions. The event ended with Knowledge Broker Julia Mitchell head of Knowledge Exchange and Impact at the Rowett Institute highlighting ‘This knowledge exchange event is not the end of the story for us: it's the beginning of many new connections and the next step in valuable collaborations’.
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