This study outlines proposals to clarify the importance of water colour (in terms of dissolved organic matter - DOM - compositional quality, e.g. humic substances (HS) content) for predicting TP concentrations in Scottish Lochs to help meet regulatory criteria under the Water Framework Directive. 

This project set out to develop recommendations for delivery of a scientifically robust, efficient and cost-effective sanitary survey programme and environmental monitoring programme to better inform Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shellfish water programmes.

Rural diffuse pollution is the main cause of downgrades to the water quality of Scotland.  The objective for this workshop was to confirm the evidence gaps in our understanding of rural diffuse pollution, which are hindering the delivery of the ambitious RBMP improvement objectives set for 2027.

Experts attended the workshop to help SEPA understand the state-of-knowledge and determine what the priorities should be for research and evidence gathering for the next six years.

The purpose of the Assessing the Impacts of Flooding project is to better understand the impacts of flooding upon people and communities and to consider what types of support and advice are needed at different stages of a long term recovery.  Over a 36 month period, the project will advance our understanding of these long term impacts, contribute to better flood risk management and make suggestions as to how personal and community resilience may be supported and enhanced.  This report provides an overview of the findings from year 1 of the study.

In Scotland, private water supplies are regulated separately under The Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Type A private water supplies are currently sampled on an individual basis; however, changes to the Drinking Water Directive specify criteria for a flexible monitoring program, which means that low risk parameters may be removed from sampling under certain circumstances. This risk-based approach is a pragmatic means of complying with Directive requirements and targeting resources towards areas of higher risk.

Models describing the relative contributions of phosphorus (P) from different sources to water bodies (source apportionment) are key tools in determining priorities for mitigation strategies within the River Basin Management Planning process under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Previous source apportionment was simplistic because it was based on total P loads, even though not all P loading has the same ecological significance due to the form or timing of the loading.

There is a need to increase awareness of the benefits that water provides and how our actions can help protect and improve them. Concerns over water quality and quantity are increasing around the world and these are exacerbated by climate change and other pressures. Arguably, and having a plentiful supply of water from rainfall, Scotland has not been severely affected by these issues. Consequently there is a perception that public understanding of water and the benefits provided is often low.

In 2015, a review of Scotland’s Water Sector was published by CREW in support of the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation Strategy. This work reported on the scope and the scale of Scotland’s Water Sector, and how different parts of the sector link together using visual tools in the form of Scotland’s Water Map.

Water resources in Scotland and across the EU are under increasing stress, especially in areas with intense agriculture. Global climate changes are likely to exacerbate water shortages and cause an increasingly unpredictable supply. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in wastewater reclamation.

Flood Warnings and Flood Alerts have been offered in Scotland since the 1980s and have become a key element of delivering flood resilience as a response to the threats presented by climate change.  High levels of demand have been translated into high levels of customer satisfaction as the delivery of services has spread and have embraced new technologies to better meet the needs of users.  The direct messaging service of Floodline was initiated in 2011 and currently has around 25,000 registered