Waters from the deep: Taff's well thermal spring

A short train journey from Cardiff, hidden away in a small dilapidated Victorian stone building, is perhaps one of Wales’ most unusualnatural wonders. Many people will have heard of its name, ‘Taff’s Well’,which is also, and by no coincidence, the name given to the village in which it can be found. Taff’s Well is the only thermal – or warm water - spring in Wales, and is one of only a handful to occur in the UK, the Roman Bath hot springs being the most famous example

Atmospheric deposition at groundwater dependent wetlands: implications for effective catchment management and Water Framework Directive groundwater classification in England and Wales

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

Nedern Brook Wetland SSSI. Phase 1, hydrological monitoring

This report provides a description of the first targeted hydrological and hydrogeological investigation at the Nedern Brook Wetland SSSI (described as ‘the wetland’) South Wales. The wetland is designated for its importance for overwintering and wading birds. The Nedern Brook – the water course that flows through the wetland from north to south is classified as a main river, however it has been heavily modified in its lower reaches. Historical alterations to the Nedern Brook, such as straightening and over deepening, have resulted in a ‘Poor’ ecological and hydrological status classification for the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This investigation collects data that has previously been absent from other studies and will support decision making in terms of management and potential restoration of the Nedern Brook to meet WFD targets. The hydrology of the wetland and the brook are interlinked and both are heavily influenced by changing groundwater levels within the underlying aquifers. In the summer, water is only visible in the over-deepened Nedern Brook channel that flows through the wetland. In the winter, flooding from groundwater discharge along the floodplains and discrete springs and seepages contributes to the formation of a freshwater lake approximately 1.5 km in length, 1.5 m in depth, covering an area of over 30 ha. Flooding in the Nedern Brook starts with groundwater discharge onto the floodplains rather than over-bank fluvial flooding from the Nedern Brook. The Nedern Brook is over-deepened and acts primarily as a drain, directing water away from the floodplains. During the study there was no evidence that fluvial flooding, from overtopping of the Nedern Brook, was the initial cause of flooding. During the study there was no evidence that flow within the Nedern Brook, especially downstream of the wetland, was inhibited and on all site visits visible flow was reported from Caldicot Castle to the mouth of the brook in the estuary. Water levels were recorded during one ‘fill and empty’ cycle between September 2014 and May 2015. Monthly field observations and detailed elevation surveys were undertaken to improve the understanding of the flooding mechanisms in the wetland and to identify areas where groundwater discharge enters the wetland, contributing to flooding. Spot gauging to calculate flow within the Nedern brook was undertaken both above and below the SSSI. The flow measurements show that there is a greater volume of water in the Nedern Brook downstream of the wetland (outflow) than there is upstream of the wetland (inflow). This difference, which can be as much as 225 l/s in January 2015, can be attributed mainly to groundwater discharge into the wetland area, although direct rainfall and other surface water inputs are likely to contribute to the flood waters. Further work is needed to translate existing river stage data and spot gauging data into stage discharge curves. Further north of the wetland the Nedern Brook loses its water both to a discrete sink at a location called the ‘Cwm’ and it continues to do so along its course towards the M48 road bridge. The concrete lined channel installed by Victorian engineers, in an attempt to reduce water inflow into the Severn Tunnel, is reported to be in poor condition and ineffective in retaining water in the brook

The Quiet House

Dealing with the subject of infertility and fertility treatment The Quiet House is a dramatic look at how a very ordinary couple deals with the gruelling process of IVF. The Quiet House had such an impact on audiences and the fertility industry alike that it gave rise to a collection of similar work being made. It became the catalyst for an entire festival being developed where people would visit, hear discussions and see artworks before watching the play in the evening. Further festivals were produced focussing on infertility and the wider subject areas of modern families, involuntary childlessness, donor conception and alternative routes to parenthood. Fertility Fest is now a highly acclaimed, international festival in its fourth year. With over two hundred artists, clinical professionals and medical experts collaborating in 6 cities across the world - Birmingham, London, Sydney, Vienna, Barcelona and Manchester. The Wellcome Collection holds an archive of material from Fertility Fest as well as a short film version of The Quiet House

Wetlands and the Water Framework Directive : key challenges for achieving good ecological status at the Anglesey and LLyn Fens SACs

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires assessment of water quality and quantity in groundwater bodies that are hydrologically linked to designated wetlands. The Anglesey and Llŷn Fens face chemical (e.g. nitrate) and quantitative (e.g. historic drainage) groundwater pressures. Hydrogeologists and ecologists have successfully worked together during the WFD classification process and impacts from diffuse nutrients have resulted in ‘poor’ chemical status for the surrounding Carboniferous Limestone groundwater body. Long term hydrological and chemical monitoring programs allow the assessment of baseline conditions, identification of trends and extreme climatic events (floods and droughts) possibly associated with our changing climate. Nutrient management plans, aimed at the reduction of inorganic fertilisers, must be agreed, implemented and monitored to ensure the return of the Anglesey and Llŷn Fens to favorable ecological condition and good groundwater chemical status. Key challenges include encouraging both ecologists and hydrogeologists to work together; continuing to work well with landowners and farmers; implementation of plans to reduce over application of inorganic fertilizers and to continue monitoring the Anglesey and Llŷn Fens as part of future climate change monitoring programs. If nothing is done to address these key challenges or the ‘after LIFE’ work is not supported there is a real risk of failure of targets associated with both the Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive

Introduction to 'groundwater for Wellness'

The ground b elow our feet acts as a vast store of water, nearly 30% of all freshwater resources on earth are found underground . This ‘groundwater ’ exists in the pores between grains of rock or soil, within fractures in the rock , or even in large cave systems . Groundwater originates as rainfall or snowmelt that soaks into the ground continuing downwards , under the influence of gravity , until it reaches a zone in which all the available spaces are saturated with water – the top of this zone is called the water table. The level of the water tab le varies across different terrains, climates and rock types, and over time. Rocks that store and transmit important quantities of ground water and provide critical resources are called aquifers

Monitoring carbon in electron and ion beam deposition within FIB-SEM

It is well known that carbon present in scanning electron microscopes (SEM), Focused ion beam (FIB) systems and FIB-SEMs, causes imaging artefacts and influences the quality of TEM lamellae or structures fabricated in FIB-SEMs. The severity of such effects depends not only on the quantity of carbon present but also on its bonding state. Despite this, the presence of carbon and its bonding state is not regularly monitored in FIB-SEMs. Here we demonstrated that Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging (SEHI) can be implemented in different FIB-SEMs (ThermoFisher Helios G4-CXe PFIB and Helios Nanolab G3 UC) and used to observe carbon built up/removal and bonding changes resulting from electron/ion beam exposure. As well as the ability to monitor, this study also showed the capability of Plasma FIB Xe exposure to remove carbon contamination from the surface of a Ti6246 alloy without the requirement of chemical surface treatments

Survey of selected tufa forming sites in Staffordshire, UK

The report details a short survey of tufa forming sites in Staffordshire, commissioned by the Staffordshire Wildlife trust. Its principal aim was to determine which tufa sites could be classed as ‘H7220 Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion)’ under the Habitats Directive. Recommendations are also made for future site enhancements. Water chemistry data collected from these sites is compared to data from similar tufa forming springs across the UK