{"id":"0846f282-58e1-47b4-970d-91a0bf28345c","uri":"https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/0846f282-58e1-47b4-970d-91a0bf28345c","type":"infrastructureRecord","title":"UKCEH Lake Observatories","description":"The purpose of UKCEH Lake Observatories is to study how lakes function, and to detect and attribute the causes of environmental change.  Inland freshwater lakes provide important ecosystem services such as water supply, flood regulation, fishing and tourism, as well as supporting our health and wellbeing.  UK lakes are also important for their unique diversity: physical, chemical and biological.  UKCEH Lake Observatories comprise an integrated network across four lakes, providing near real-time data on lake condition and function for a shared set of core measurements plus added value specific monitoring relevant to each lake.  This information is used to develop and test new research hypotheses and ecological theories; to build digital models of lake functioning for forecasting and prediction; and to support evidence-based decisions to manage and restore lake health in a changing environment.  UKCEH Lake Observatories also contribute to global lake observing networks, for example to assess the impacts of changing temperature (GLEON) and storms (GEISHA) on ecosystem function.","metadataDate":"2025-04-09T09:24:27","resourceIdentifiers":[{"code":"https://catalogue-staging.ceh.ac.uk/id/e4952fa4-8aaa-497d-b694-abaebbcc3ac9"},{"code":"https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/0846f282-58e1-47b4-970d-91a0bf28345c"}],"capabilities":"Each lake is equipped with a monitoring buoy that carries sensors for automatic, high-frequency (sub-hourly) sampling of water at different depths as well as the air above the water surface.  Automated sampling is supplemented by periodic intensive measurement campaigns.  This sampling provides data on a suite of physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes, and on fish populations, together with meteorological data. ","lifecycle":"Monitoring of the Cumbrian lakes began in 1945, initiated by the Freshwater Biological Association, and has been led by UKCEH and its predecessor organisations since the late 1980s.  Regular monitoring at Loch Leven in Scotland began in 1968, initiated by the International Biological Programme, and has been led by UKCEH and its predecessors since 1972.","uniqueness":"UKCEH Lake Observatories provide the longest running lake ecosystem monitoring programme in the UK, and among the longest in the world.  Only UKCEH has the diversity of skills and continuity of approach to: deliver this multi-scale and integrated physical, chemical and biological research programme that allows the detection and attribution of ecosystem level change and the determination of multiple drivers; and to foster UK and international collaboration and stakeholder engagement around freshwater ecosystem restoration and sustainable management.","locationText":"UKCEH Lake Observatories comprise three lakes in Cumbria (north west England) and one lake in east-central Scotland: Windermere (England’s largest natural lake at 15km2, maximum depth 64m, two basins sampled); Esthwaite Water (1.0km2); Blelham Tarn (0.1km2); Loch Leven (13.4km2).  ","access":"UKCEH Lake Observatories data are freely available via the UKCEH Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC).  For access to field research capabilities, contact Steve Thackeray at UKCEH Lancaster or Linda May at UKCEH Edinburgh.","fundingSources":"The UKCEH Lake Observatories are funded through UKRI-NERC National Capability LTSS: UK-SCaPE programme.","scienceArea":"Water Resources","infrastructureScale":"Area, city, farm, habitat","infrastructureCategory":{"value":"instrumentedSites","description":"Instrumented sites","infrastructureClass":"Environmental observatories","uri":"http://vocabs.ceh.ac.uk/ri/instrumentedSites"},"infrastructureChallenge":[{"value":"Pollution","uri":"http://vocab.ceh.ac.uk/ri#Pollution"},{"value":"Sustainable ecosystems: biodiversity net gain"}],"owners":[{"displayName":"Steve Thackeray/Linda May","organisationName":"UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology","organisationIdentifier":"https://ror.org/00pggkr55","role":"owner","address":{"city":"Edinburgh"},"fullName":"Steve Thackeray/Linda May"}],"users":["UKCEH Lake Observatories and their outputs are used by: UK and international researchers and PhD students (including the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, GLEON, and high-profile reporting initiatives such as the American Meteorological Society led State of the Climate Reports); Natural England; Environment Agency; Rivers Trusts; local businesses (e.g. sailing clubs, fisheries); Scottish Government (via CREW funding); NatureScot; Scottish Water; Scottish Environmental Protection Agency; Loch Leven Catchment Management Group; Perth & Kinross Council; William Grant Foundation."],"onlineResources":[{"url":"https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/gallery/public/strips/tile-lake-windermere-370x274.jpg","name":"Lake observatories","function":"image","type":"OTHER"},{"url":"https://uk-scape.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/cumbrian-lakes-monitoring-platform","name":"Cumbrian Lakes observatory","function":"website","type":"OTHER"},{"url":"https://uk-scape.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/loch-leven","name":"Loch Leven observatory","function":"website","type":"OTHER"}]}