Stormflow behaviour in blanket peat catchments affected by severe wildfire: implications for natural flood management

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Shuttleworth ◽  
Martin Evans ◽  
Tim Allott ◽  
Martin Kay ◽  
Adam Johnston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overland Flow ◽  
Flood Management ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Process Studies ◽  
Bare Peat ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Runoff Production

<p>The restoration of damaged UK peatlands is a major conservation concern, and landscape-scale restoration is extensive in areas of upland Britain. Peatland headwater catchments are important areas of hillslope runoff production, and over the last decade there has been increasing focus on how restoration schemes can reduce downstream flood risk through natural flood management (NFM). Stormflow in degraded catchments can be incredibly flashy, as water is quickly evacuated from hillslopes across bare peat surfaces and through erosional gullies, but there is increasing evidence that restoration by revegetation and damming of channels can significantly slow the flow of water.</p><p>Recent major peatland wildfires in the UK have focused attention on the effects of wildfire and post-wildfire restoration on the hydrology of peatland catchments, but to date, relatively little is known about the effects of wildfire on peatland flood hydrology. Current understanding is largely drawn from process studies, with evidence suggesting that severely burnt peatlands will have flashier hydrograph responses to rainfall events, with higher peak flows relative to unburnt peatlands. This assumption is based on three key factors which promote rapid overland flow: (i) the development of hydrophobic crusts due to high intensity fires, (ii) the clogging of peat pores by ash, and (iii) removal of vegetation cover reducing surface roughness. Further influences on runoff production could result from changes in water table or post-fire peat shrinkage and cracking.</p><p>This paper details stormflow characteristics from nine gullies in an area of peatland affected by the high-severity Saddleworth wildfire which burned over 1000 hectares of UK peatland in June and July 2018. This field area is upstream of the community of Stalybridge, which the Environment Agency had highlighted as a priority community at risk of flooding. We compare this behaviour to catchments that were unaffected by the fire. Preliminary findings suggest that the fire affected gullies produce highly variable stormflow behaviour, with some sites producing discharges similar to bare peat sites, while others are more similar to relatively intact catchments. The planned restoration of this area has great potential to provide NFM benefits.</p>

scholarly journals Prediction of factors affecting activation of soil erosion by mathematical modeling at pedon scale under laboratory conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Shojaei ◽  
Zahra Kalantari ◽  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino
Keyword(s):  
Soil Loss ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Quadratic Function ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Soil Protection ◽  
Single Factor ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Rainfall Duration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Runoff Production

AbstractSoil degradation due to erosion is a significant worldwide problem at different spatial (from pedon to watershed) and temporal scales. All stages and factors in the erosion process must be detected and evaluated to reduce this environmental issue and protect existing fertile soils and natural ecosystems. Laboratory studies using rainfall simulators allow single factors and interactive effects to be investigated under controlled conditions during extreme rainfall events. In this study, three main factors (rainfall intensity, inclination, and rainfall duration) were assessed to obtain empirical data for modeling water erosion during single rainfall events. Each factor was divided into three levels (− 1, 0, + 1), which were applied in different combinations using a rainfall simulator on beds (6 × 1 m) filled with soil from a study plot located in the arid Sistan region, Iran. The rainfall duration levels tested were 3, 5, and 7 min, the rainfall intensity levels were 30, 60, and 90 mm/h, and the inclination levels were 5, 15, and 25%. The results showed that the highest rainfall intensity tested (90 mm/h) for the longest duration (7 min) caused the highest runoff (62 mm3/s) and soil loss (1580 g/m2/h). Based on the empirical results, a quadratic function was the best mathematical model (R2 = 0.90) for predicting runoff (Q) and soil loss. Single-factor analysis revealed that rainfall intensity was more influential for runoff production than changes in time and inclination, while rainfall duration was the most influential single factor for soil loss. Modeling and three-dimensional depictions of the data revealed that sediment production was high and runoff production lower at the beginning of the experiment, but this trend was reversed over time as the soil became saturated. These results indicate that avoiding the initial stage of erosion is critical, so all soil protection measures should be taken to reduce the impact at this stage. The final stages of erosion appeared too complicated to be modeled, because different factors showed differing effects on erosion.

scholarly journals Technology Transfer Projects in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin George Wynn
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Business Practitioners ◽  
The Uk

This article examines how technology transfer has operated in university-company projects undertaken in small to medium sized enterprises via the UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme. It adopts a qualitative case study approach, focusing on three companies drawn from an initial review of fourteen technology transfer projects. This provides the foundation for the development of a model of 12 key factors that underpinned successful outcomes in these projects. The fourteen projects are reviewed in terms of their impact on either process change, service improvement or product development, drawing upon the post-project assessments of the funding body and the developed model. Findings suggest that using new technology to innovate internal processes and services is likely to prove more successful than projects focusing on new product development. The model provides an analytical framework that will be of interest and value to academics and business practitioners looking to develop university-industry partnerships involving technology change and innovation.

Constructed wetlands in UK urban surface drainage systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Shutes ◽  
J.B. Ellis ◽  
D.M. Revitt ◽  
L.N.L. Scholes
Keyword(s):  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Road Runoff ◽  
Agenda 21 ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Guidance Documents ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

This paper presents the outcome of an inventory of planted wetland systems in the UK which are classified according to land use type and are all examples of sustainable drainage systems. The introduction of constructed wetlands to treat surface runoff essentially followed a 1997 Environment Agency for England and Wales report advocating the use of “soft engineered” facilities including wetlands in the context of sustainable development and Agenda 21. Subsequently published reports by the UK Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) have promoted the potential benefits to both developer and the community of adopting constructed wetlands and other vegetated systems as a sustainable drainage approach. In addition, the UK Environment Agency and Highways Agency (HA) have recently published their own design criteria and requirements for vegetative control and treatment of road runoff. A case study of the design and performance of a constructed wetland system for the treatment of road runoff is discussed. The performance of these systems will be assessed in terms of their design criteria, runoff loadings as well as vegetation and structure maintenance procedures. The differing design approaches in guidance documents published in the UK by the Environment Agency, CIRIA and HA will also be evaluated.

scholarly journals Immigration Into the United Kingdom

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 957-967
Author(s):  
Lukáš Nevěděl ◽  
Michaela Novotná
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Identity Cards ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Strong System

Migration is a process which results in an increase or a decrease of population. When analysing the immigration policy of the United Kingdom, it is important to be aware of two key factors which influenced it: the country’s location and its colonial history. As an island, the UK has developed a very strong system of border control while at the same time there is limited control within its borders which can be demonstrated e.g. by the absence of identity cards. The aim of this article is to evaluate immigration into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland based on available statistical data between 2004 and 2012. The data will be also used for a forecast of development of the numbers of immigrants from different countries and for illustrating possible immigration trends in the future. The article will mainly focus on a question whether in the near future the UK will experience an increase or a decrease in immigration or whether the number of immigrants will stay constant. Convergence analysis will be used to evaluate the data for individual administrative regions at the NUTS II level. The article will also detail numbers of immigrants per 1,000 inhabitants and it will answer a question whether there is convergence or divergence in the number of immigrants among different regions.

scholarly journals How fast should social restrictions be eased  in England as COVID-19 vaccinations are rolled out?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Miles ◽  
Adrian Heald ◽  
Mike Stedman
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Education Outcomes ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Standards Of Living ◽  
Life Years ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus began in December 2020 in the UK and is now running at 5% population/week. High Levels of social restrictions were implemented for the third time in January 2021 to control the second wave and resulting increases in hospitalisations and deaths. Easing those restrictions must balance multiple challenging priorities, weighing the risk of more deaths and hospitalisations against damage done to mental health, incomes and standards of living, education outcomes and provision of non-Covid-19 healthcare. Weekly and monthly officially published values in 2020/21 were used to estimate the impact of seasonality and social restrictions on the spread of COVID-19 by age group, on the economy and healthcare services. These factors were combined with the estimated impact of vaccinations and immunity from past infections into a model that retrospectively reflected the actual numbers of reported deaths closely both in 2020 and early 2021. It was applied prospectively to the next 6 months to evaluate the impact of different speeds of easing social restrictions. The results show vaccinations are significantly reducing the number of hospitalisations and deaths. The central estimate is that relative to a rapid easing, the avoided loss of 57,000 life years from a strategy of relatively slow easing over the next 4 months comes at a cost in terms of GDP reduction of around £0.4 million/life-year loss avoided. This is over 10 times higher than the usual limit the NHS uses for spending against Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) saved. Alternative assumptions for key factors affecting give significantly different trade-offs between costs and benefits of different speeds of easing. Disruption of non-Covid-19 Healthcare provision also increases in times of higher levels of social restrictions. In most cases, the results favour a somewhat faster easing of restrictions in England than current policy implies.

scholarly journals Application of data-based mechanistic modelling for flood forecasting at multiple locations in the Eden catchment in the National Flood Forecasting System (England and Wales)

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Leedal ◽  
A. H. Weerts ◽  
P. J. Smith ◽  
K. J. Beven
Keyword(s):  
Warning System ◽  
Open Shell ◽  
Flood Forecasting ◽  
Mechanistic Modelling ◽  
Forecasting Models ◽  
Forecasting System ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Modelling Approach

Abstract. The Delft Flood Early Warning System provides a versatile framework for real-time flood forecasting. The UK Environment Agency has adopted the Delft framework to deliver its National Flood Forecasting System. The Delft system incorporates new flood forecasting models very easily using an "open shell" framework. This paper describes how we added the data-based mechanistic modelling approach to the model inventory and presents a case study for the Eden catchment (Cumbria, UK).

Technology Transfer Projects in the UK

2020 ◽  
pp. 383-405
Author(s):  
Martin George Wynn
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Business Practitioners ◽  
The Uk

This article examines how technology transfer has operated in university-company projects undertaken in small to medium sized enterprises via the UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme. It adopts a qualitative case study approach, focusing on three companies drawn from an initial review of fourteen technology transfer projects. This provides the foundation for the development of a model of 12 key factors that underpinned successful outcomes in these projects. The fourteen projects are reviewed in terms of their impact on either process change, service improvement or product development, drawing upon the post-project assessments of the funding body and the developed model. Findings suggest that using new technology to innovate internal processes and services is likely to prove more successful than projects focusing on new product development. The model provides an analytical framework that will be of interest and value to academics and business practitioners looking to develop university-industry partnerships involving technology change and innovation.

Optimisation of resource management in construction projects: a big data approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habeeb Kusimo ◽  
Lukumon Oyedele ◽  
Olugbenga Akinade ◽  
Ahmed Oyedele ◽  
Sofiat Abioye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges faced in resource management in the UK construction industry and to propose some solutions to these problems. Design/methodology/approach Based on a qualitative research methodology, 14 experts from the UK construction industry were chosen to be participants in the study. The participants were equally divided into two focus groups to discuss resource management using five projects as case studies. Thematic analysis of the discussion reveals seven key factors that affect resource management. Findings The results show that most of the problems identified are due to poor data management processes and the practice of having data in silos. Overcoming this challenge requires the adoption of big data approaches for resource management to allow the integration of large and different forms of data. Originality/value This study seeks to bring to the fore challenges faced in resource management by the UK construction industry and to outline some solutions to address them.

scholarly journals Post-Truth Politics in the UK's Brexit Referendum

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Marshall ◽  
Alena Drieschova
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Traditional Media ◽  
Oxford Dictionary ◽  
The Uk

The term post-truth became the 2016 Oxford Dictionary word of the year, yet many scholars question whether the term signals anything new, or whether post-truth is just lying, which has always been a part of politics and media. This paper contributes to this discussion by critically evaluating the extent to which the Brexit referendum, the UK's vote to exit the European Union, was based on post-truth politics. The paper develops the argument that Brexit is a key example of post-truth politics, and that two key factors ushered in this new form of politics into the UK: 1) technological changes associated with social media, which lead to a situation in which a significant portion of the population acquire their news online, while anybody can post anything online without checks on the accuracy of the claims; 2) a growing distrust in democratic institutions, political elites, expertise, and traditional media gatekeepers which leads, in turn, to a loss of trust in established expert knowledge, leaving the population willing to rely on information originating from questionable sources. This combination of a decline in trust of politicians and experts with social media reliance, drove the British public to emotionally charged, value-based decision making to a greater extent than before, which thus supports the claim that post-truth politics is indeed a novel phenomenon. Our analysis of the Brexit referendum raises the need for scholars to study the daily activities of the population and focus on its role as an active regime shaper.

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