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High resolution water quality, hydrological and ecological monitoring in the river Eden catchment (2011 - 2015) [DTC project]
(The River Eden Demonstration Test Catchment (DTC) Data)

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The River Eden Demonstration Test Catchment (EdenDTC) monitored water quality, hydrology and ecology across 3 sub-catchments to assess the effectiveness of diffuse pollution mitigation measures.

The focus areas are in the Thackthwaite, Newby and Pow catchments. Each catchment has an area of approximately 10km2. The stream water quality and biology were monitored to understand how the catchment responds to storm events. This work included measuring many properties of the water including the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment and total amount of water leaving the catchment.

The experimental approach used for assessing mitigation used pre-mitigation instream data to provide a baseline against which to compare post-mitigation instream conditions, and also compares a 'manipulated' (mitigated) sub-catchment with a 'non-manipulated' (control) sub-catchment.
Publication date: 2016-07-19

Format

Comma separated value (csv)

Spatial information

Study area
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid

Temporal information

Temporal extent
2011-01-01    to    2015-12-31

Provenance & quality

The experimental approach used for assessing mitigation used pre-mitigation instream data to provide a baseline against which to compare post-mitigation instream conditions, and also compares a 'manipulated' (mitigated) sub-catchment with a 'non-manipulated' (control) sub-catchment.

Focus catchment outlets at Newby Beck and Pow were both equipped with in-situ analysers and sondes (Hach Lange Sigmatax, Phosphax, Nitratax and ammonium sondes; and a YSI sonde) to monitor the following parameters: total phosphorus , total reactive phosphorus, nitrate , ammonium, pH, conductivity, water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll-a, turbidity and water level. The catchment outlet at Thackthwaite was equipped with a YSI sonde only, and measured the same parameters except for nutrients.

Nested within all focus catchments, smaller sub-catchments were monitored for turbidity (Analite sonde) and water level. At every monitoring location, an ISCO auto-sampler collected water samples during selected storm events. These samples were routinely analysed in the laboratory, which enables the in situ water quality analysis to be checked against standard methods. Each focus catchment also has its own automated weather station (AWS) including a tipping bucket rain gauge, plus two additional tipping bucket rain gauges. At each monitoring site, where water level was recorded, the stream was gauged and rating curves developed, which were used to convert water level into flow. This archive contains quality assured data generated by field monitoring and laboratory analysis by EdenDTC. Sample collection, analysis and quality assurance protocols were implemented, details of which can be found in the relevant supplementary document.

Correspondence/contact details

Doctor Nick Barber (Durham University)
Eden DTC
 n.j.barber@durham.ac.uk

Additional metadata

Keywords
Agricultural Practices , Biological Quality , Catchment , Nitrogen , Phosphorus , Sediment , Site Specific Data , Time Series , Water Quality
Last updated
09 March 2017 08:06