Atmospheric Deposition at Groundwater Dependent Wetlands
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Atmospheric deposition at groundwater dependent wetlands: Implications for effective catchment management and Water Framework Directive groundwater classification in England and Wales Groundwater Programme Internal Report OR/14/047 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GROUNDWATER PROGRAMME INTERNAL REPORT OR/14/047 Atmospheric deposition and groundwater dependent wetlands: Implications for effective catchment management and future Water The National Grid and other Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database rights Framework Directive groundwater 2014. Ordnance Survey Licence No. 100021290. classification in England and Wales Keywords Wetlands, GWDTE, Water Framework Directive, Atmospheric Deposition , Gareth Farr & Jane Hall. Nitrogen, Nitrate Front cover Contributions from: Debbie Allen, Laurence Jones, Clive CEBD nitrogen loading data on a Cartwright and Paul Turner 5x5Km grid from CEH. Bibliographical reference FARR, G & HALL, J. 2014. Atmospheric deposition and groundwater dependent wetlands: implications for effective catchment management and future Water Framework Directive groundwater classification in England and Wales. British Geological Survey, OR/14/047. 59pp. Copyright in materials derived from the British Geological Survey’s work is owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and/or the authority that commissioned the work. You may not copy or adapt this publication without first obtaining permission. Contact the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Section, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, e-mail [email protected]. You may quote extracts of a reasonable length without prior permission, provided a full acknowledgement is given of the source of the extract. Maps and diagrams in this book use topography based on Ordnance Survey mapping. © NERC 2014. All rights reserved Keyworth, Nottingham British Geological Survey 2014 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The full range of our publications is available from BGS shops at British Geological Survey offices Nottingham, Edinburgh, London and Cardiff (Welsh publications only) see contact details below or shop online at www.geologyshop.com BGS Central Enquiries Desk Tel 0115 936 3143 Fax 0115 936 3276 The London Information Office also maintains a reference collection of BGS publications, including maps, for consultation. email [email protected] We publish an annual catalogue of our maps and other publications; this catalogue is available online or from any of the Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham BGS shops. 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Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Tel 020 7589 4090 Fax 020 7584 8270 Tel 020 7942 5344/45 email [email protected] Columbus House, Greenmeadow Springs, Tongwynlais, Cardiff CF15 7NE Tel 029 2052 1962 Fax 029 2052 1963 Maclean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB Tel 01491 838800 Fax 01491 692345 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Colby House, Stranmillis Court, Belfast BT9 5BF Tel 028 9038 8462 Fax 028 9038 8461 www.bgs.ac.uk/gsni/ Parent Body Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1EU Tel 01793 411500 Fax 01793 411501 www.nerc.ac.uk Website www.bgs.ac.uk Shop online at www.geologyshop.com Foreword This report is the product of an Environment Agency (EA) contract co-funded by the British Geological Survey (NERC) to review and collate information regarding atmospheric and terrestrial nutrient loading at groundwater dependent terrestrial ecosystems (GWDTEs) in both England and Wales (the inclusion of Welsh sites are covered by the co-funding from BGS and not from EA funding. Many GWDTEs are low nutrient systems therefore any increase in loading can have a detrimental effect upon the ecology. In order to better protect GWDTEs in England and Wales it has become increasingly important to understand the sources of nutrients so that effective regulation and management can be applied to return the GWDTEs into favourable condition. This report highlights many knowledge gaps and also provides the first comparison of two national assessments, Critical Load (assessment of atmospheric deposition) and Threshold Value (assessment of groundwater nitrate levels). It shows that nearly 90% of the GWDTEs in England and Wales exceed their Critical Load for atmospheric deposition. Implications for future Water Framework Directive classification cycles are highlighted. Suggestions are made for suitable GWDTEs to be included in a future research project. The project will aim to provide a methodology to define source attribution from both atmospheric and terrestrial nutrients, enabling environment managers to make effective decisions to project GWDTEs. Acknowledgements A large number of individuals have contributed to this work at all stages of the study, their comments and reviews have been extremely helpful. In addition to the collation and analysis of data, many individuals have freely given their advice, and provided the local knowledge and information so important to the successful outcome of any project. Thanks are due to: Natalie Phillips (Kieboom) (Environment Agency Project Manager), Dr Mark Whiteman (Geoscience Team, Environment Agency), Dr Rob Kinnersley (air quality- Environment Agency), Mella O’Driscoll (Air Quality Environment Agency), Ann Skinner (Senior Conservation Advisor Environment Agency), Paul Howlett (Technical Specialist Groundwater- Environment Agency), Sarah Watkins (Environment Agency), Iain Diack (Natural England), Anna Weatherall (Natural England), Zoe Russell (Natural England), Dr Peter S Jones (Peatland Specialist Natural Resources Wales), Khalid Aazem and Dylan Lloyd (air quality Natural Resources Wales) and Rachel Breen (Geoscience Team Natural Resources Wales). 1 Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 1 Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Figures ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Tables .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 5 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 8 2. Nutrients and wetlands ........................................................................................................ 10 2.1 Sources of atmospheric nitrogen .................................................................................. 11 2.2 Pathways for atmospheric nutrients .............................................................................. 12 2.3 Receptors and Factors Affecting atmospheric nutrient deposition and loss ................. 13 2.4 Attenuation of nitrogen in wetlands ............................................................................. 15 2.5 Modelling of atmospheric deposition in the UK .......................................................... 15 3. European Directives ............................................................................................................. 17 3.1 The Habitats Directive and Conservation Status .......................................................... 17 3.2 The Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Status .......................................... 17 4. Critical Loads ....................................................................................................................... 21 5. Monitoring networks in England and Wales ..................................................................... 24 5.1 UK Eutrophying and acidifying atmospheric pollutants (UKEAP) ............................. 24 5.2 National Ammonia Monitoring Network (NAMN) ..................................................... 25 5.3 Precipitation Network (PrecipNet) ............................................................................... 25 5.4 NO2 diffusion tube network (NO2-net) ....................................................................... 25 5.5 Acid Gas and Aerosol Network (AGANet) .................................................................. 25 5.6 UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) ................................................................ 25 5.7 UK Upland Waters Monitoring Network ..................................................................... 26 5.8 Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD) ................................................................ 26 5.9 UK