A Study on Factors Affecting UK Surface Water Bodies’ Classification

The study aims to determine the factors affecting UK surface water bodies’ classification to ensure solutions are proposed and suitably carried out. Over the years, the issue of water surface has proved to be of great concern. There are possibilities of water stress due to a strain caused by less water for sustainability. The major problems to be further studies include abstraction, climate change, population growth, future energy strategies, water pollution, land-use change, and leaks and losses. The study will be experimental research that will help analyze the data gained from fix-ended surveys.

Abbreviations

UK – Water Kingdom

WFD – Water Framework Directive

EU – European Union

CCS – Carbon Capture and Storage

DEFRA – Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs

Introduction

By definition, a water body is any management unit that has been defined by any relevant authorities in a jurisdiction. Nature, environmental organizations, citizens, and water using sectors in the united economy deserve cleaner groundwater, lakes, rivers, and bathing waters. Given this, responsible water policy bodies have the responsibility of ensuring the water is clean and viable for domestic and commercial use. The responsible bodies should ensure clean waters are kept clean, while polluted waters are made clean again. Surface water classification is a Water Framework Directive (WFD) mechanism initiated by the EU to assess and manage water bodies and sources to improve and protect water environments through a 6-yearly cycle measures (Jncc.gov.uk 2019, p. 2). It is a status indicator that classifies or assesses changes in the UK’s water body’s percentages, placing them on either high or good status category.

The annual classification includes water bodies such as estuaries, coastal waters, lakes, rivers, and canals. Since the first time the indicator was initiated in the UK in 2009, the overall number of water surface categorized as high or good based on ecological indicators decreased between 2013 and 2018. For instance, in 2018, only 35% of water bodies assessed under the framework, which is lower than the same assessment that yielded 36% in 2009 and37% in 2013 (Jncc.gov.uk 2019, p. 2). The framework includes both artificial and modified water bodies. All of them are classified as either poor, moderate, or good. For this project, three water bodies in Liverpool shall be assessed and measured to help in the clarification process. The factors that will be considered in the process will be universal for all the water bodies. The assessment will depend on key factors that include wasted water from urban and agriculture.

Literature Review

This chapter gives a summary of existing literature or information on the present state of water sources in the UK and the factors affecting the water resources. The study is aimed at narrowing down to three rivers in Liverpool to understand the factors affecting the UK surface water bodies. It can be considered universal for all water bodies. The literature review thus gives pointers on the factors as assed from the reports and projects such as the annual planning and measures by WFD, policies pit in place, and other possible pointers. The major aspects surveyed are the present state of water resources in the UK, the factors affecting water sources, and the possible solutions.

2.1 Present state of Water resources in the UK

To understand the need for a study of the factors affecting water bodies, there is a need to understand the water bodies’ present state. The current state of water bodies is best described by assessing the river flows, groundwater levels, water available for abstraction, and the wetland extent condition (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 2). Considering the present state on the current state of water bodies in the UK, the factors responsible and possible solutions are a necessity.

River Flows

The trends in river flows are an indicator of the changes in the long term reliability of water for both the environment and people. They can also help to understand the possibility of short-term flood risk by looking at the levels. For instance, very high levels indicate a short-term flood risk (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 4). A research tracking river flows from as far as 1960 suggests increased river flows in parts of the west and north, but there is little no increase in the east and the south. However, the changes in river flow experienced in the north, east, and central England have not been attributed to climate change but abstraction in the cases of lowered river flows. (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 5). Climate change can be attributed to increased levels alongside other irregularities that directly or indirectly influence river flows.

Groundwater levels

Groundwater is a vital part of sustainable development in England. It makes up to 30% of the drinking water in England whose supply to the regions runs between 4% and 100% suggesting primary use in the specific areas (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 5). However, a 2017 analysis showed that 15% of the groundwater bodies are at risk of deteriorating if there is increased abstraction (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 5). In essence, groundwater was in a good and stable state in 2017, but there are fears of a disruption of stability due to abstraction that is still being experienced.

Water Available for Abstraction

Abstraction is defined as a process of extraction of water from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, and seas for various uses such as industrialization, treatment, irrigations, among others. According to a 2017 research by the government (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 6), it is evident that even the areas thought of as water-rich such as the south-west and north-west are at risk due to abstraction thus a need for improvement and maintenance of the situation as hand relative to abstraction (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 6). Abstraction was aimed at ensuring stability, but the available water for it has relatively reduced over time, which is an indication of future difficulties.

Wetland extent and condition

In England, wetlands are not only of international importance but also provide a set of services to society. For instance, they help to ensure flood management, carbon capture and end storage, water treatment, among other societal and environmental functions. However, over the years, much wetland in England has been lost due to the industrial revolution. Water management and abstraction have played a great role in loss and poor conditions on the surviving wetlands (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 7). In addition, a change in water levels due to other factors put the wetlands and habitats at risk.

Factors affecting water resources

To achieve good water quality status, it was important to research the possible causes or factors that affect water resources. The factors that affect water resources were found to include abstraction, climate change, population growth, future energy strategies, water pollution, land-use change, and leaks and losses. The seven mention factors are the most common factors that cut across universal issues with water resources.

Abstraction

Abstraction has a significant effect on water bodies and resources and ought to be controlled to ensure sustainability. It can cause a change in the natural flow regime since it, directly and indirectly, affects water flows groundwater (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 8). Consequently, it affects flows to lakes, rivers, wetlands, and springs. Abstraction being an effect of human activities may also result in changes due to modification or management of water bodies. For instance, drainage results in complete loss of water sources or infilling. Its impact on water bodies varies depending on the entire process. For example, if it was taken and returned, what were the quantities taken and what was returned? What was the taking and returning point of the abstraction? Depending on the answers to these questions, the effect of abstraction differs.

Climate Change

Climate change results in a difference in the timing of rainfall, its amount, and it replenishes groundwater. For instance, summers tend to be hotter or more extended, thus increased demand for water and a lot of evaporation. Similarly, the reliability of groundwater sources and river intakes will change due to lowered levels or dried sources. In England, a change in the rainfall in summer and winter has been noted to have changed, thus a sign of climate change (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 3 and 9). Climate change is equally caused by human activities that have consequently resulted in cases of global warming and eventual climate change.

Water Pollution

Abstraction is a major cause of water pollution alongside other human activities. Due to industrialization, the water returned to the water sources are either polluted or reduced due to the purification process or due to lack of purification. Water pollution is equally caused by industrialization and other human activities and the use of chemicals in products such as fertilizers. Rainfall then results in the carrying away of the chemicals and other pollutants in the air (gases and chemicals) and on land (substances such as papers, chemicals, among others) to water bodies/ sources. As a result, the water is polluted by substances, chemicals, and gases harmful to habitats, human beings, and social activities.

Future energy strategies

Energy generation is majorly dependent on water. Energy is the primary concern to support technological advances in support of the future generation’s sustainability. Water is profoundly affected (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 10). Thus, the need for energy for future generation calls for the use of other possible sources or generators of electricity. For instance, activities such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and fracking (shale gas extraction) require extra water. As such, there is a need for electricity and other uses of water, which in turn leads to reduced water.

Land-use change

Human activities for land use such as urbanization, mining, drainage, afforestation, among others, affect water bodies. For instance, tree planting is a significant step towards maintaining rain and reducing downstream flood risk. However, it is important to plan to ensure there are no reduced groundwater cases due to activities such as plan foresting. Activities such as drainage can cause wetlands to degenerate (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 11). Human activities are thus a factor affecting water bodies in the UK.

Leaks and losses

Water leakage is a significant cause of water loss caused by pressure and breakage. For instance, in England, UK, research has it that over 3,000 million liters per day are lost through leakage (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 11). It is an amount equivalent to what is used in households of over 20 million people a day; a third of the UK population. Similarly, waster is also wasted during treatment and in people’s homes. It is thus conclusive that substantial water volume is wasted either through leaky pipes or loss as home.

Population growth

A high rate of population growth reduces the chances of sustainability since its consequence is inadequate resources. The population growth of England is predicted to increase to 58.5 million by 2026 (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 10). Additionally, most of the growth areas are places where water supply and the environment are already strained. It is feared that if no action is taken, water supply-demand may not be met by 2050. The implications of not meeting water demands will affect the environment, humanity, animals, and technological advances, among other human activities.

Solutions

From the discussion above, it is evident that there is a predictable difference in water surface and water bodies caused by various factors, including human activities and natural happenings. Thus, it calls for the need to understand the problems through the study and analysis of individual water bodies to apply the solutions better. There is a need to co-ordinate objectives to ensure a good status for waters. The proposed solutions include improving ecological protection, chemical status, and quantitative status (Introduction to the EU Water Framework Directive – Environment – European Commission 2019, p. 2). The pressure of population growth, climate change, abstractions, and other factors ought to be addressed since the extent of the impact the elements, as mentioned earlier, will have in the UK have not been determined (The state of the environment: water resources 2018, p. 11). WFD has proposed a number of solutions over the year and had targeted better results as of 2015. However, the annual report of 2018 shows a similar issue with water bodies, which calls for better solutions (De Vito et al. 2020, p. 2). There is a need for more research and more focus put on the implementation of the proposed solutions.

Methodology

Discussion and Conclusion

The study will be aimed at studying three rivers in Liverpool to understand the factors that influence UK surface water bodies,s classification. As evidenced in the research review, the significant pointers will include abstraction, climate change, population growth, future energy strategies, water pollution, land-use change, and leaks and losses. The factors will be determined by analyzing the present state of water surfaces such as river flows, groundwater levels, water available for abstraction, and the wetland extent condition. After understanding the current state of the three rivers, the data collected will be analyzed and compared to previous data from documents and records to check for possible changes. The probable causes will then be studied and interpreted with support from field research on the causes.

The information gained from the literature review will help give pointers to the areas of concern. The information also provided room for comparison, thus room for improvement in the field of study and room for additional information. The study will answer questions on the possibility that there are factors that affect rivers but do not affect other water bodies and vice versa. Similarly, it is specifically meant to address rivers, thus specific in its objectives. Similarly, rivers are major connectors to lakes and oceans as well as other water bodies; therefore, the study can give a universal set of factors that affect water bodies’ classification.

The possible solutions the main areas of concern are creating awareness to ensure reduced pollution, managing abstraction, carrying out educative and managed human activities with the concern of the effects and consequences such as leaks and losses, land-use change, among others, and planning for sustainability and future energy strategies with regard of the effects to natural resources.

References

Jncc.gov.uk. (2019). UKBI – B7. Surface Water Status | JNCC – Adviser To Government On Nature Conservation. [online] Available at: <https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/ukbi-b7-surface-water-status/> [Accessed 12 August 2020].

Assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. 2018. The State Of The Environment: Water Resources. [online] Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/709924/State_of_the_environment_water_resources_report.pdf> [Accessed 12 August 2020].

Ec.europa.eu. 2019. Introduction To The EU Water Framework Directive – Environment – European Commission. [online] Available at: <https://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/info/intro_en.htm> [Accessed 12 August 2020].

De Vito, L., Fairbrother, M., and Russel, D., 2020. Implementing the Water Framework Directive and Tackling Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture: Lessons from England and Scotland. Water, 12(1), p.244.

A Study on Factors Affecting UK Surface Water Bodies’ Classification

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