Events & Courses

Rising nitrate concentrations in groundwater have an ever increasing impact on public and private water supplies and the marine environment. The South Downs Nitrate Modelling Collaboration brought together a number of organisations with a shared interest in understanding and reversing the nitrate trends in groundwater.

The South Downs National Park Authority, the Environment Agency, the Downs and Harbours Clean Water Partnership, Portsmouth Water and Southern Water commissioned a report by Amec to improve our understanding of the situation. We will outline the results of the risk mapping, trend modelling and nitrate source apportionment, and go on to explain which land management changes were assessed as likely to be most cost-effective.

The findings have led to the development of on-the-ground projects that will lead to a real reduction in nitrate leaching across the patch in the coming years.

Speakers

Lucy Roberts and Polly Wallace are Groundwater Technical Specialists for the Solent and South Downs area of the Environment Agency, and specialise in groundwater quality monitoring, Water Framework Directive, and diffuse pollution.

Tracey Viney studied Geology at Portsmouth and after many years working in environmental regulation is now the Environment and Biodiversity Specialist at Portsmouth Water

Time

6.30pm