ISSN:
1747-6593
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
Notes:
The Ouse Washes is an area of Hood washland in Cambridgeshire. The site has been designated as an SPA and SAC, due to the presence of Spined Loach in the Old Bedford River and River Deiph and the invaluable over wintering and nesting habitats it offers for various nationally and internationally important species of birds. The site is currently thought to be in an unfavourable ecological condition, in terms of both the nutrient concentrations and the vegetation communities that populate the site. These factors affect the favourability of the site for both the Spined Loach and the bird populations. To restore favourable conditions to the Washes, a target vegetation community was defined for each discrete area of the site. Each of these communities had an ecohydrological prescription derived, which defined the required annual regime for mid-Held water table depth, flooding depth and duration and ditch nutrient concentration.A catchment-wide rainfall-runoff and nutrient transport model was used to derive flows and nutrient loads across the Washes under a range of catchment management scenarios. The model results for each discrete area of the Washes were analysed and the ecohydrological favourability under the different scenarios could then be quantified. By running various scenarios of different artificial influence and diffuse pollution conditions, the possible water and nutrient regime within the Washes was investigated and the suitability of different management options quantified relative to the target ecological requirements of the site. This allowed the Environment Agency to complete an Appropriate Assessment of the site, as required under the EU Habitats Directive.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-6593.2005.tb01596.x
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