Changing patterns of climate, and specifically of rainfall and river flows, can substantially affect the chemical and ecological quality of rivers, lakes and streams, and increases in ocean temperature and acidity may significantly affect marine ecosystems.
WRc, through its expertise in aquatic chemistry and ecology, environmental water quality modelling and monitoring plus data and information management, possesses the capabilities necessary to investigate and help devise adaptation strategies to address the impacts of climate change on water quality and ecology. WRc’s intimate knowledge of the Water Framework Directive and its continued technical support to the European Commission on its implementation, makes WRc fully conversant with the implications of climate change on the successful achievement of the Directive’s objectives such as the potential effect of climate change on the achievement of good ecological status.
In tandem, we are continually developing ideas on how we may best support our clients in modelling the effects of climate change. For example, our integrated catchment management tool SIMPOL, originally developed to support Urban Pollution Management (UPM) studies, is now under further development to enable strategic modelling of both water and wastewater catchments, and carry out “what-if?” modelling from the dual perspectives of rainfall-driven and customer demand-driven scenarios.
Keep up-to-date with our e-newsletter and collaborative research e-catalogue for more details on latest project developments.