Water Quality Research and Catchment Planning in the River Wye

Tender description

Water Quality Research and Catchment Planning in the River Wye The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Welsh Government is commissioning the research of P-37627 Wye: Water Quality Research and Catchment Planning in the River Wye. The Wye catchment covers 4,285 km2 spanning two nations and five counties. The River Wye flows for over 200 km from its source at Plynlimon in mid-Wales to the Severn estuary, making it the fifth largest river in the UK. For most of its length the river runs through the Welsh Marches and has many significant tributaries including the Elan, Irfon, Ithon, Lugg, Frome and Monnow. The Wye is an internationally important habitat, reflected in its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI), and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The catchment is rich in wildlife, precious habitats and iconic landscapes which are recognised in various other designated areas, including the Wye Valley National Landscape/Area of Outstanding natural Beauty (AoNB), National Nature Reserves, Local Nature Reserves, and terrestrial SSSIs. Monitoring undertaken by the Environment Agency (EA), Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water in recent years has evidenced declines in both water quality and ecology, which are attributable to high levels of nutrients within watercourses across the catchment. Excess nutrients from point source pollution, agricultural diffuse pollution, and rural land use, and the impacts of climate change, are the main causes contributing to the decline of habitat and species within the River Wye/Lugg SAC. In 2022, in order to support measures to achieve nutrient neutrality and good ecological status of the Wye, Welsh Government funded the Wye Nutrient Management Board to develop a revised and actionable nutrient management plan for the Wye. This is supported by the 2024 EA funded project ‘Understanding the Wye’, which considered the Wye as a system. This project included multiple partners and stakeholders from both English and Welsh sides of the border. In response to concerns about water pollution in the Wye, UK and Welsh governments announced plans in March 2025, via a new research project, to investigate the causes of pollution, in order to explore new and existing approaches to the problem. The focus of this research project will be to design and implement a research programme that meets the highest priority evidence requirements of the River Wye Catchment to support addressing this problem. This research will identify and quantify new innovative methods to reduce agricultural diffuse pollution to river environments and explore the costs and benefits as well as barriers to uptake of these measures. The research will also gather evidence that can be integrated into new and existing models to estimate the impact of agriculture on the water environment and contribute to reducing agricultural diffuse pollution. The project will also act as a case study to apply learnings on sustainable governance and stakeholder engagement for future research programmes in other river catchments with similar or differing challenges. The UK and Welsh governments jointly commissioned a major review of the water sector in England and Wales, which reported in June 2025 (Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector - GOV.UK). The review, and independent government responses, will have direct relevance to this research project. It is vital both government’s responses and plans are considered in full when developing this work. For example, in response to the review, both governments have committed to including a regional element within the new regulator to ensure greater local involvement in water planning. By moving to a catchment-based model for water system planning, we can tackle all sources of pollution entering waterways so they can be cleaned up more effectively and more quickly. In this context the research project should also consider what wider lessons and applicability there is from the Wye in terms of these cross-government reforms. There is no consensus amongst stakeholders on the causes behind pollution in the Wye nor on the action required to address it. An important part of this project will be working with stakeholders to build a common understanding of what the evidence and research recommends on how to tackle pollution in the Wye catchment.