Sampling campaign: British Geological Survey
In August, several colleagues from British Geological Survey (BGS) visited the Eden and took samples from springs, streams and boreholes across the catchment, in order to characterise and age the water from the different sources, to help understand the speed with which water moves through the groundwater system.
Sampling campaign: ADAS
Two joint sampling campaigns with ADAS were successfully completed in both September and October, to collect samples for in-stream sediment and soil from adjacent land, respectively, in each of the sub-catchments within the Eden. The analysis, to be carried out by ADAS, will characterise the sediment and use the soil samples to identify the relative amount different land areas contribute to in-stream sedimentation. By discovering which areas contribute the most to in-stream sedimentation, we can gain a better understanding of nutrient loss in the catchment, and identify areas that merit implementation of mitigation measures, for example, stream-side fencing to prevent poaching and further soil erosion by livestock.
The Weather!A busy time for the field team in the Eden
While various members of the EdenDTC, including the whole field team, were at the Catchment Science conference in Dublin, stormy weather hit Cumbria and wreaked havoc at one of the sub-station sites. Strong winds proved to be too much for an old oak, with the result that a rather large branch fell to the ground, only to be intercepted by a solar panel and a small green cabinet, housing water-gauging equipment. Fortunately the damage to the cabinet was minimal: no structural damage was evident as only a corner was knocked off, which is purely a cosmetic matter. The solar panel, however, fared slightly worse – it took the full brunt of the weight and ended up dented and smashed to smithereens. The station has been operating on battery power, with batteries being changed every 2 weeks, but now that a replacement solar panel has arrived, it will be fitted soon, and we expect the station to be back to normal in due course.