Country info:Wales - background information

Link back to the main Wales country page: Wales

• Link to River Basin District: Dee
• Link to River Basin District: Severn

The Rivers Trust Catchment Mapping Tool

• Catchment Mapping Tool

Organisations

• Atlantic Salmon Trust
• Blueprint for water
  Blueprint for water is a campaign of the Wildlife and Countryside Link. Wildlife and Countryside Link is an umbrella body, whose purpose is to bring together voluntary organisations in the UK to protect and enhance wildlife, landscape and the marine environment, and to further the quiet enjoyment and appreciation of the countryside. From their homepage, go to Water and follow the links to Blueprint for Water.
• Catchment Science Centre
• Centre for River Ecosystem Science
• European Centre for River Restoration
• European Network of Freshwater Research Organisations
• European Rivers Network
• European Union of Water Management Associations
• European Water Association
• European Water Resources Association
• Freshwater Biological Association
• Global Water Partnership
• National Farmers Union
  The NFU trade association is the largest farming organisation is the in the UK. Its mission is to "champion British farming and provides professional representation and services to its Farmer and Grower members".
• River Science Network
• The Angling Trust
  Information about fishing, fighting pollution, protecting fish stocks, campaigning for anglers' rights and how to enter competitions.
• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
• The Rivers Trust They support sustainable cathment management and have produced a catchment mapping tool for England and Wales Catchment Mapping Tool.
• Wild Trout Trust
  The Wild Trout Trust stimulates hands-on, in-the-water projects, helping others to help themselves with habitat improvement in and around rivers and lakes.
• Worldwide Fund for Nature - UK
  WWF-UK is the UK arm of the WWF Network. Using a combination of practical experience, knowledge and credibility, to work with governments, businesses and communities both here in the UK and around the world so that people and nature thrive within their fair share of the planet's natural resources.

Environment Agency, Welsh Government and Defra links

• Living on the Edge
  A guide to your rights and responsibilities of riverside ownership
• Estuary Edges design guidance
  Design guidance for developments in and around an estuary. This guide provides information on how to make the most our of the local estuarine environment.
• Mitigation measures manual
  Water Framework Directive online mitigation manual
• catchment based approach
• Drought
• dredging guidance
  If you are planning or regulating any marine dredging or disposal activities, this guide will help you to understand and comply with the Water Framework Directive
• Hi Flows UK
• water quality
• water resources strategy
• Defra water
• Welsh Government: water and flooding

Professional Bodies

• CIWEM
  Professional and examining body for scientists, engineers, other environmental professionals, students and those committed to the sustainable management and development of water and the environment.
• Eureau
  European Union of national associations of water suppliers and waste water services.
• Institute of Civil Engineers
  Information on current issues in civil engineering.
• Institute of Water
  Site offers water industry news and current events and water-related links.
• IWA
  Site contains publishing, IWA and industry news, details of events and an online catalogue of publications.
• Water Engineering and Development Centre
  Website gives details of research on emergency relief for refugees, knowledge transfer, solid waste management, transport, urban services and water and sanitation.
• Water UK
  Industry association that represents all UK water and wastewater service suppliers at national and European level.
• Water Quality Association
  Information on product testing and professional certification of all water users. Consumer questions and concerns about drinking water, regarding health quality and taste issues. Including the 2001 National consumer water quality survey and WQA's glossary of terms.

Government Organisations

• British Waterways
  Responsible for maintaining the UK's inland waterway network.
• Communities and Local Government
  Communities and Local Government department
• Countryside Council for Wales
  Welsh Government's statutory adviser on sustaining natural beauty, wildlife and outdoor activities in Wales.
• WRAP
  Delivers a valuable government-funded programme of free, confidential advice to UK businesses. This assistance enables companies to increase profitability and reduce environmental impact.
• European Environment Agency
  Provides decision-makers with the information needed for making effective polices to protect the environment and support sustainable development.
• Forestry Commission
  The government department responsible for the protection and expansion of Britain's forests and woodlands. Their responsibilities span research, commercial timber production, sustainability programmes and policy, as well as learning and leisure.
• JNCC
  The Government's wildlife adviser.
• Marine Management Organisation
  The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has been established to make a significant contribution to sustainable development in the marine area and to promote the UK government’s vision for clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.

Useful journals

• ends report

Campaigns and Charities

• surfers against sewage
  Campaigns for clean recreational water, free from sewage effluents, toxic chemicals, nuclear waste and marine litter.
• water aid
  Giving the world's poor access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Research

• Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  Undertakes and disseminates research into the natural changes in and human impact on water resources, including groundwater, and advises government.
• Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
  Aquatic scientific research and consultancy centre.
• Foundation for Water Research
  Shares and disseminates knowledge about water, wastewater and related environmental issues. Contains forums on Cryptosporidium, Environmental Economics, Eutrophication, Groundwater and Wastewater. The site also includes website links, acronyms and FWR publications.

Hydrology

• British Hydrological Society
  The Society caters for those with an interest in the inter-disciplinary subject of hydrology, and aims to promote interest and scholarship in scientific and applied aspects of hydrology and to foster the involvement of its members in national and international activities.
• Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  Research and monitoring in terrestrial and freshwater environments.
• UNESCO water portal
  The UNESCO Water Portal's objective is to improve access to information on freshwater on the web. See the side bar for links to useful related sites, such as IHP (International Hydrological Planning) and the Glossary of Hydrology.
• NORA
  Holds outputs from a number of research centres, including the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory.
• UK Climate Impacts programme
  Coordinates scientific research into the impacts of climate change.
• UK Water Industry Research
  Set up to provide a framework for the procurement of a common research programme for UK water operators on 'one voice' issues.
• Water Environment Research Foundation
  American organisation providing wastewater and water quality research. Subscription is necessary to access most information.

Hydrometry

• Chronology of British Hydrological Event
  Public repository for hydrological facts of the type that come from texts rather than tables.
• Ciria - SUDS
  Promoting good practice in the implementation of sustainable drainage in the built environment.
• national river flow archive
  The NRFA collates, quality controls, and archives hydrometric data from gauging station networks across the UK including the extensive networks operated by the Environment Agency (England and Wales), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Rivers Agency (Northern Ireland).
• royal geographical society
  Professional body for geography.
• world meteorological organisation
  The UN's authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.

Water Industry

• Consumer Council for Water
  Represents water and sewerage consumers in England and Wales.
• OFWAT
  Economic regulator for the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales.
• water guide
  Information on all the UK water companies.
• waterwise
  Promotes water efficiency.

Welsh (and adjacent) water companies

• Bristol Water
• Dee Valley Water plc
• Dwr Cymru
• Severn Trent (main group)
• South West Water

Weather

• BBC weather
  Latest weather forecasts and current radar picture of rainfall.
• Met Office
  Worldwide weather forecasts and research and information on all aspects of meteorological activity.