A presentation by Dr Gareth Old of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) on monitoring work at the CEH River Lambourn Observatory and research into chalk river systems.

1. CEH RIVER LAMBOURN OBSERVATORY
Dr Gareth Old
A. House, C. Stratford, C. Roberts, J. Sorensen, D. Gooddy, A. Newell, B. Marchant, O.
Mountford, P. Scarlett, R. Ponnambalam, P. Williams and J. Chambers

2. CHALK STREAMS
• High quality designated habitat; diverse ecology
• Stable flows, clear waters, constant temperature, and
low nutrients/sediments
• Long time ago very different!
• Current chalk streams are heavily modified
• Return to pristine landscape not possible
• Management is a challenge

3. Monthly Flow Values, Boxford
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
Jul 08 Aug
08
Sept
08
Oct 08 Nov
08
Dec
08
Jan
09
Feb
09
Mar
09
Apr 09 May
09
Jun
09
Cumec
Winter Period
Peak flow
BOXFORD FLOW REGIME

4. Widespread agricultural systems: 18th C
Managed water levels (SW and GW) : soil moisture, temp.
and fertility
Widespread abandonment in 20th C
Many now recognised as important GDE’s
Concern in WFD - vulnerable to environmental change
Many are now degrading: restore/conserve
WATER MEADOWS

5. BOXFORD WATER MEADOW

6. • Desmoulin’s whorl snail
• MG8 veg community
Designated SSSI and SAC
Condition assessment:
“Scrub is beginning to encroach … will
need to be addressed shortly to … avoid
site becoming unfavourable”.
Natural England July 2008

7. RESEARCH: HYDROLOGICAL FUNCTIONING
• Survey and monitor to model the site
– Developed new non-invasive techniques
– Conceptual and numerical
• Inform management, monitoring and enable
assessment of scenarios

8. TOPOGRAPHY

9. SUBSURFACE GEOLOGY
Manual probing
Borehole logs
Electro resistivity tomography

10. METEOROLOGICAL INPUTS

11. GROUNDWATER INPUTS
Temperature and chemistry

12. GROUNDWATER INPUTS

13. INFLUENCE OF THE RIVER

14. RIVER DISCHARGE

15. GROUNDWATER LEVELS

16. GROUNDWATER LEVELS

17. CONCLUDING REMARKS
CEH River Lambourn Observatory
Monitoring and surveying
• Non-invasive, low cost and rapid
• Information versus investment
• Conceptual and numeric model development
Test scenarios
Results and methods: applicable to other sites