Evaluating alternative river management options in the tidal Ouse, UK

Abstract

The River Ouse forms a significant part of the Humber river system, providing the largest UK fresh water source to the North Sea and a valuable habitat for fish. It suffers from dissolved oxygen sag over summer months, especially downstream of industrial effluent discharges at Selby. The Environment Agency (EA) therefore proposed implementing stricter environmental limits for industries and sewage treatment works. The effectiveness of other management options is evaluated through a one-dimensional water quality model, QUESTS1D. Significant improvements in water quality from alternative options are predicted by simulation using QEUSTS1D, in comparison to tightening effluent consents. The Transfer Coefficients Matrix of BOD5 is derived in this paper to indicate the relative impacts on water quality of using different discharge locations. An integrated river policy taking into account both effluent discharges and water abstraction on the basis of their effects suggests a combined water management framework could be applied to ensure the required water quality.