Science and Data
Understanding Windermere’s health requires robust science and data to inform meaningful action. By leveraging knowledge, we can identify the complex challenges facing Windermere from nutrient pollution, climate change and land use pressures to develop targeted solutions.
Nutrient enrichment has been a significant challenge over the last two centuries, causing an increase in algal blooms and deoxygenation of the lake at depth.
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) took over monitoring the lake from the Freshwater Biological Association in the late 1980s and these datasets are immensely important for showing how conditions in Windermere have changed over time. There are however still many questions to be answered, especially surrounding the mechanisms affecting nutrient cycling in the lake, the effects of climate change, and how other potential stressors may affect lake ecology.
We are working with other independent scientific experts including Lancaster University and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to start to answer some of these questions and develop research programmes to help us better understand how and why Windermere is changing. We will be using the best available evidence to address the following questions:
- Where are key nutrient sources in the catchment and how can we manage these?
- How do bacterial concentrations, which can potentially impact human health, vary throughout the catchment?
- What role may nutrients recycled from lakebed sediments play in affecting water quality?
As our research progresses and we have findings to share, these will be communicated on this website.
Useful sources of information
Here you will find key reports, external links and guidelines to help you explore the topic further and stay informed. These resources have been selected for their reliability and relevance, providing you with access to publications and expert insights.
Sediment Reports
The three reports were written by UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and commissioned by the Environment Agency on behalf of the Love Windermere Partnership to explore how nutrients held within lakebed sediments affect the water quality of Windermere and other lakes in the Windermere catchment.
Blue Green Algae explainer: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/cumbria-and-lancashire/blue-green-algae-in-cumbria-and-lancashire/
Current data on water quality and ecology from Environment Agency: https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning
The Big Windermere Survey : https://www.fba.org.uk/volunteer/the-big-windermere-survey
Cumbrian Lakes Monitoring Platform: https://uk-scape.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/cumbrian-lakes-monitoring-platform/
Storm overflow and pollution data: https://www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/responsibility/environment/reducing-pollution/storm-overflows/storm-overflow-performance/
Windermere SAGIS Report – This short report describes the phosphorus source apportionment data for the Windermere catchment that has been produced by the Environment Agency. View Windermere SAGIS Report
Business FAQ – Please refer to our frequently asked questions designed for businesses located in the catchment area affected by the water quality challenges in Windermere.
