Stodmarsh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area

Descriptions

Defra procuring on behalf of Natural England (NE): Incidences of fish kill and algal blooms have given rise to concerns with regards to water control and water quality in the main NNR Reserve Lake at Stodmarsh NNR. The Reserve Lake has a complex hydrological regime which is not currently well understood. This study will enable Natural England to further understand the complex hydrological network at the lake by quantifying the water coming from different sources and the contribution of nutrients from these different sources. This project will also provide recommendations for improvements in water control and water quality, which should work towards improving the ecological condition of the site. The specific aims are to: • Produce a water budget to understand the complex hydrological regime at the site, specifically which sources are flowing into the lake, the flow from each source and how often it occurs. • Determine the nutrient concentration in the water entering the lake in order then to determine a nutrient budget.