Understanding the catchment means understanding the processes within and between ecosystems (upland, lowland and coastal).

Our research programme is unique in the UK because it includes socio-economic science as well as the biophysical science of catchments. We address problems such as the way society uses water resources and the cost of changing current practices.

Our Catchment Management research aims to:

• comprehend how pollutants move through the environment.
• assess the impact of pollutant transfers on soil and water ecology.
• develop tools and methodologies to help predict how human activities might affect the environment.
• provide the scientific underpinning to help develop and implement public policy.

A key influence on our research is the EU’s Water Framework Directive, which aims to improve the quality of watercourses and ecosystems by reducing pollution and promoting sustainable use. The directive has helped shift the emphasis from applied biophysical research driven by single issues to a broader multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach.

We work with a range of organisations and individuals including policy makers and planners at local, national and European levels; national regulatory agencies; water resource managers; and stakeholders such as farmers, land and fisheries managers.

Further information

The Catchment Management science area has a number of research projects. As it is such a multidisciplinary topic, many of these projects include elements from the Institute’s other science areas such as SERG.

Catchment Management staff list