Hydro-Climate Risks

Our research

Taking new observations and developing new analysis techniques and models, we are improving our ability to forecast flood and drought events and minimise the impacts of extreme weather.

We use satellite data and past-climate records combined with world-leading models to study the role of the land in the Earth System and its impact on future climates. We work with partners in the UK to improve national-scale flood and drought event forecasts, assessments and mitigation strategies. We work overseas including in Africa, China and India to improve observations, analysis and modelling of extreme weather events.

World-class science and innovation

Hydrological modelling to support flood estimation in data-sparse regions and for future scenarios.
Development and application of a state-of-the-art land surface model, including its use for climate and Earth System model predictions.

Science Groups

Climate System (Group Leader: Chris Taylor)

The Climate System Group seeks to improve understanding and modelling of the role that the land surface plays within the climate system. We study how terrestrial processes influence the global carbon cycle, and how fluxes of heat and water from the land affect individual storms and larger-scale weather systems.

We have a particular interest in extremes (e.g. intense storms, heat waves, droughts), and make extensive use of satellite Earth Observation data alongside land and atmospheric models.

Contact: Chris Taylor

Hydrological Forecasting (Group Leader: Steven Cole)

The group focuses on developing hydrological models for flood, drought and water resource management and supporting their operational use by key stakeholders in the UK and abroad.

Research interests include: flood & drought forecasting, hydrological modelling at national and local scales using spatial landscape property datasets (ungauged approaches), data assimilation of observations, uncertainty estimation (including ensembles), comparative model performance assessment, real-time hazard and impact forecasting, and spatial rainfall estimation using raingauge and weather radar data.

Specific software supported: Grid-to-Grid (G2G) Model for area-wide flow forecasting, the River Flow Forecasting System (RFFS), PDM, KW and PACK rainfall-runoff, channel flow routing and snowmelt models, and HYRAD (HYdrological RADar system).

Contact: Steven Cole

Hydrological Processes and Extremes (Group Leader: Vicky Bell)

We aim to improve the understanding of hydrological extremes at a range of scales, from local to catchment and national scales. Our interests encompass the use of instruments to monitor hydrological systems (soils, rivers, urban drainage) to support the development of improved hydrological models and statistical representations for present day and possible future hydrological scenarios.

We work closely with the water industry to translate our research into practical tools and methods to support river management, planning, and engineering design.

Our key facilities include three recirculating hydraulic plumes to explore sediment dynamics, soil and sediment analysis, the CEH-owned River Lambourn Observatory, and targeted field monitoring sites. Our equipment includes Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) and bathymetry, unmanned UAVs for aerial surveying and land-survey equipment.

Contact: Vicky Bell

Land Surface Flux Measurements (Group Leader: Jon Evans)

We take large-scale continuous measurements of the hydrological cycle, especially soil moisture, and apply these to managing water resources, particularly in agricultural food production. We continuously monitor greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the natural landscape from both semi-natural grasslands and intensive agriculture, developing improved fundamental understanding of the carbon cycle.

We also monitor hydro-meteorological weather and climate to better understand land-surface interactions and feedbacks; monitoring data sparse regions (e.g. East Africa and India) to better evaluate current numerical weather predication models and climate change forecasts.

Additionally we host the Engineering Workshops. Our major projects include COSMOS-UK and COSMOS-India.

Contact: Jon Evans

Land Surface Science (Group Leaders: Garry Hayman, Eleanor Blyth)

We create new science and models to improve our understanding and modelling of land-atmosphere interactions related to the exchange of water, energy and important trace components.

Our group is the UK academic lead for the JULES community land surface model, including the provision of technical and community support, and hosting of the JULES website. This state-of-the-art land surface model is used for UK weather predictions and for UK, regional and global climate change studies. For community use, we deliver a validated model. Contact: Garry Hayman or Eleanor Blyth

Our facilities

Engineering Workshops

Developing cutting-edge Field Engineering for scientific monitoring, we support new sensor deployment and trials, produce bespoke field sampling equioment (moth traps, soil corers, Delta systems etc) and integrated robust autonomous sensor systems (static field installations and mobile platforms on farm robots, for example).

We assemble and maintain environmental monitoring stations for successful, long-term operation of large networks across the UK and countries such as India, Kenya and, soon, China. We also deliver high-quality data sets through writing data logger programs and scripts to operate with specialised software for autonomous data collection, telemetry, quality control and storage.

Contact: Alan Warwick (Workshop Manager)

Experimental Channel Facility

The CEH Experimental Channel Facility at our Wallingford site comprises three outdoor recirculating channels which allow control of both hydraulic conditions and temperature. The channels each run independently and can be used individually or simultaneously to provide some replication. Both substrate and type of water can be arranged by the user dependent on the nature of experimental requirements.

Contact: Ponnambalam Rameshwaran