Enhancing Water Quality

Why?

The water cycle is one of the most important processes sustaining life on the Planet.

Maintaining water quality provides:

• A resource for human consumption and sanitation
• Viable and sustainable industries
• Diverse aquatic biodiversity

The quality of our rivers, lochs and coastal waters represent a barometer for the quality of the Scottish environment and reflects how we manage our land resource.

Understanding how pollutants move through the landscape, and what their downstream consequences are on aquatic life is essential to sustainable development in a changing world.

Engagement with people who have an interest in the future water quality is essential for the development of sustainable policy and actions.

Research Information

• Presentation: Enhancing Water Quality, Robert Ferrier, Macaulay Institute (25 MB pps selected slides)
• Posters (1MB pdfs)
• Leaflet (0.7MB pdf)
• More information on Work Programmes 3.4 and 3.5

See also SAC's Land Economy & Environment (LEE) Group

Expected Outcomes

• Guidance to support and implement sustainable water resources policy, in particular the EU Water Framework Directive
• Identification of emerging pressures on water quality and water quantity
• Tools (from simulation modelling to web-based resource libraries) to support those managing water resources
• characterisation of water uses and values, to support development of proportionate methods to enhance water quality

Contact

Dr Robert Ferrier, Macaulay Institute.