CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER
MANAGEMENT (CSWM)

The Centre's role is to deliver cross-disciplinary science in water-related areas to solve problems such as flooding, agricultural pollution, and the medium-term impact of climate change on water distribution and quality.

The CSWM does this through its combined expertise in hydrological and hydrochemical modelling, field studies on solutes and sediments in freshwater environments, and the application of new technologies.

CSWM's overarching function is developing scientific techniques to create sustainable water management strategies, despite the unpredictable nature of land and water use problems.

This is a complex research area dealing with uncertain science that requires the integration of knowledge relating to different scales and timeframes. Furthermore, water is a highly managed natural resource and a key public utility.

As a result, water management must deal with both social and natural science considerations. Of particular significance is the EU's Water Framework Directive (WFD), which uses ecological status as an indicator of whether we are managing our water properly.

Investing in land and water use research will ensure that the knowledge gained is shared among all stakeholders.