Researchers at the University of Stirling has been instrumental in implementing policies to protect and restore water resources used by the European Union (EU)’s 0.5 billion inhabitants.
Issue
Protecting and restoring freshwaters is an urgent priority. The ecosystem services they provide are of paramount importance, particularly to human health and wellbeing. Yet freshwaters globally are in a grave state and losing biodiversity faster than any other ecosystem type. Harmonisation of assessment under the EU Water Framework Directive is critical to the environmental and economic sustainability of freshwaters in the EU.
Approach
Research highlighted novel solutions for bio-assessment in densely populated transboundary river basins and established a convergent view of healthy freshwater systems in the face of divergent national approaches.
Scientific road-testing of restoration practices in lakes and rivers means that actions delivered via Water Framework Directive (WFD) management plans are evidence-based and have the greatest chance of success.
Impact
The research underpinned the intercalibration of WFD methods. Hundreds of previously disparate national classification systems have been brought together and harmonised, allowing for accurate water body classification and aiding the delivery of Framework objectives.
The approach to developing environmental standards for nutrients to support good ecological status in Europe’s lakes and rivers, co-designed with staff from the EU Joint Research Centre, has been incorporated into EU policy on best practice in setting national regulatory targets.
The evidence-based review of lake restoration practices for the Broads Authority, based on 30 years of monitoring data, has shaped their future strategy for lake restoration and site-level decision making.
A tool designed for the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency enables rapid assessment of the severity of river barriers to fish migration. This tool is now an integral part of the process of selection, prioritisation, and restoration of river continuity in the UK.
More information
Institution: University of Stirling
Researchers: Professor Nigel Willby, Dr Colin Bull, Dr Alan Law