Experts are warning of the risks of spreading invasive and non-native species when moving large volumes of untreated lake, reservoir and river water.
Development of cities and the demands of agriculture mean that huge volumes of untreated water from lakes, reservoirs and rivers are now routinely moved large distances, across countries, up to hundreds of miles, using pipelines, tunnels and water supply canals. Known as raw water transfers schemes, these projects are essential for human uses but risk moving not just water but also wildlife, spreading invasive and non-native species, such as zander fish and zebra mussels.
In a series of new papers, researchers from Newcastle University and the University of Stirling are now warning that invasive species can be moved between often unlinked waterbodies by the intentional transfer of water and call for action.
Publishing their findings in the journal Management of Biological Invasions, the experts highlight the need to add raw water transfers (RWTs) into co-ordinated surveillance and management plans to meet national and international targets on tackling invasive and non-native species, and recommend exploring options to improve RWT information access and stakeholder collaboration within the INNS management community.
They also call for increased awareness of the risks associated with RWTs and the spread of invasive and non-native species and say these actions will deliver additional benefits to support the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in a rapidly changing world.
How RWTs are managed varies between countries, but they are typically managed by private water companies, or local and central government. In England, the majority of RWTs are owned and managed by water companies. The Environment Agency (EA) also controls a number of RWTs.
The research team cites data showing 110 surface water transfers in England and Wales which can transfer between 45–150 million litres per day, around 43 of which cross one or more catchment boundary (39%).
Posted On: 16/01/2025
More on: