Determining significant damage to groundwater-dependent terrestrial ecosystems in England and Wales for use in implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Whiteman, Mark; Brooks, Alexander; Skinner, Alice; Hulme, P. D.

doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.03.013

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For example, Hurcott and Podmore Pools is a series of pools and marginal wetlands within a large alder wetland/woodland in Worcestershire (Whiteman et al 2010). The main sources of water for the pools are surface water inflows from the upstream catchment and groundwater discharge from a major sandstone aquifer, which is also an important public water supply.…”

Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Detailed site assessment suggested that summer maximum water-table depths should be less than 0.45 m to support the ecosystem; however, water-table fluctuations up to 0.7 m were observed. Based on these observations and numerical groundwater modeling results, a Water Level Management Plan (Whiteman et al 2010) was proposed and implemented to raise the water table and to potentially change the groundwater abstraction regime.…”

Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using wetlands as an example of a groundwater-dependent ecosystem, Whiteman et al (2010) describe a screening tool to assess wetland condition by examining three factors: (1) condition of source groundwater (rate of abstraction, concentration of contaminants, etc. ), (2) connectivity between groundwater and the wetland, and (3) ecological response of the wetland to changes in hydrological condition.…”

Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management

Hunt

Batelaan

2016

Integrated Groundwater Management

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In the twentieth century, groundwater characterization focused primarily on easily measured hydraulic metrics of water storage and flows. Twenty-first century concepts of groundwater availability, however, encompass other factors having societal value, such as ecological well-being. Effective ecohydrological science is a nexus of fundamental understanding derived from two scientific disciplines: (1) ecology, where scale, thresholds, feedbacks and tipping points for societal questions form the basis for the ecologic characterization, and (2) hydrology, where the characteristics, magnitude, and timing of water flows are characterized for a defined system of interest. In addition to ecohydrology itself, integrated groundwater management requires input from resource managers to understand which areas of the vast world of ecohydrology are important for decision making. Expectations of acceptable uncertainty, or even what ecohydrological outputs have utility, are often not well articulated within societal decision making frameworks, or within the science community itself. Similarly, "acceptable levels of impact" are difficult to define. Three examples

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Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Temperate Climate: United Kingdommentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management

Hunt

Batelaan

2016

Integrated Groundwater Management

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“…One way of estimating the degree of damage is to answer the following questions (Whiteman et al 2010):…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This test assesses whether a GWDTE has been significantly damaged by either poor water quality or insufficient quantity of water from a groundwater body (GWB) upon which it is directly dependent. If the wetland is significantly damaged by a groundwater mediated pressure, then the surrounding groundwater body will be designated as poor status (Whiteman et al 2010) and a programme of measures is required. This paper describes the WFD classification process and the application of nitrate threshold values to GWDTE, specifically the investigation of significant damage at humid dune sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Merthyr Mawr: a case study for the assessment of nitrate at humid dunes in England and Wales

et al. 2017

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Humid dunes in the UK are at risk from nutrient pressures from multiple sources. The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) requires assessment and identification of these pressures with appropriate measures defined to mitigate against further damage. We discuss the application of nitrate threshold values for the WFD classification, illustrating this with a case study at Merthyr Mawr, South Wales, where ephemeral groundwater discharge from a spring ('Burrows Well') sourced within the Carboniferous Limestone, creates a large dune slack. Ecological surveys suggest that the vegetation in this slack was in unfavorable condition, due to high levels of nitrate. Applying the source-pathway-receptor model an investigation was undertaken to improve the conceptual model and assess the significance of damage from groundwater derived nutrients. Results show groundwater nitrate ~ 10mg/l as N feeding the main slack waters. The vegetation survey data shows clear evidence of ecological damage, and the hydrogeological data traces the source of this back to the Carboniferous Limestone aquifer and not the overlying blown sands. Discharging groundwater is the source of the enrichment. Isotopic analysis shows that the N is derived from inorganic fertiliser and atmospheric N. During the first cycle WFD characterisation the unfavorable status of the dunes due to chemical groundwater pressure resulted in a failure of the surrounding groundwater body, which was designated as poor status. The site has been re assessed for the 2nd Cycle WFD characterisation where recently developed nitrate 'threshold' values have been applied to assess the significance of damage for groundwater derived nutrients. The surrounding Carboniferous Limestone catchment is complex and could not be sufficiently constrained, thus land management changes could not be targeted. The paucity of historical or repeat vegetation surveys limits our ability to measure change within the dune vegetation and causes difficulties in understanding the impact of multiple pressures.

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From groundwater abstraction to vegetative response in fen ecosystems

Johansen

Jensen

Pedersen

2013

Hydrological Processes

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Hydrological effects of groundwater abstraction near a Danish river valley have been assessed by integrated hydrological modelling. The study site contains groundwater‐dependent terrestrial ecosystems in terms of fen and spring habitats that are highly dependent on regional and local scale hydrology. Fens are rare and threatened worldwide due to pressures from agriculture, to lack of appropriate management and to altered catchment hydrology. A solid foundation for hydrological modelling was established based on intensive monitoring at the site, combined with full‐scale pumping tests in the area. A regional groundwater model was used to describe the dynamics in groundwater recharge and the large‐scale discharge to streams. A local grid refinement approach was then applied in a detailed assessment of damage in order to balance the computational effort and the need for a high spatial resolution. A considerable flow reduction in the natural spring was monitored during a full‐scale pumping test while no significant effects on the water table in the fen habitats were observed. A modelled abstraction scenario predicted a lowering of 2–3 cm in the centre of the main fen area during summer periods. The predicted change in water table conditions in the fen habitat is compared to the variability found in 35 Danish fens, and the ecological response is discussed based on statistical water‐level vegetation relations. The results provide a rare quantitative foundation for decision making in relation to management of groundwater‐dependent terrestrial ecosystems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Determining significant damage to groundwater-dependent terrestrial ecosystems in England and Wales for use in implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Cited by 18 publications

References 2 publications

Ecohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management

Ecohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management

Merthyr Mawr: a case study for the assessment of nitrate at humid dunes in England and Wales

From groundwater abstraction to vegetative response in fen ecosystems

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