The role of blanket peat moorland management in the generation and amelioration of discolouration of surface water supplies

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O'Brien, H., 2009. The role of blanket peat moorland management in the generation and amelioration of discolouration of surface water supplies. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

Discolouration of surface waters in upland catchments (with associated costs of water treatment and resources) has increased particularly since the severe droughts in the 1970s and mid 1990s. Such discolouration is a major concern for many water companies whose catchment areas include upland moorland, particularly those areas located on deep blanket peat soils. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the role of catchment management in the production of discoloured surface runoff and DOC flux from catchments used as gathering grounds for public water supply. The investigation focused on blanket peat moorlands in the Ladybower catchment from which water is treated at Bamford Treatment Works. Whilst other workers have considered management techniques for water colour amelioration at laboratory and plot scale, no previous study had evaluated the impact of these approaches at a catchment scale with a sufficient degree of experimental control. Baseline relationships between meteorological inputs and hydrological responses were established during a calibration period prior to intervention in management. Six catchments were instrumented and the relationships between water discolouration and hydrological and land management characteristics were identified. Suitable pairings of catchments were determined with similar characteristics. One catchment was then treated to a management practice, whilst the management on another was not affected. It was then possible to assess the impact of management on the treated catchment in comparison with the untreated catchment.

Item Type:	Thesis
Creators:	O'Brien, H.
Date:	2009
Rights:	This work is the intellectual property of the author, and may also be owned by the research sponsor(s) and/or Nottingham Trent University. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, of if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the first instance to the author.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 09:34
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2015 09:34
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/174