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Government
There are many government agencies across the United Kingdom with a responsibility for water resources, water quality and conservation. The section below gives a summary of these agencies and their responsibilities.
Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 
DEFRA are responsible for all aspects of water policy in England,
including water supply and resources, and the regulatory systems for
the water environment and the water industry. DEFRA, together with the
Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of the
Environment Northern Ireland have policy responsibility for the
implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in the UK.
~ Introduction to Water
~ Water Framework DIrective
Environment Agency
(EA) 
The Environment Agency is responsible for maintaining or improving the
quality of fresh, marine, surface and underground water in England and
Wales.
~ Water Quality
~ Water Resources
Scottish
Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) 
SEPA is the government body responsible for the protection of the
environment in Scotland.
~ Water
Framework Directive in Scotland
~ Report: Pressures and Impacts on Scotland's
Water Environment
Northern
Ireland Department for Regional Development (DRD) 
DRD's Water Service has responsibility for the supply of water and the
treatment and disposal of sewage throughout Northern Ireland.
~ Water Service website
Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH) 
SNH is the government body responsible for the conservation and
enhancement of Scotland’s natural heritage; wildlife,
habitats and landscapes. It advises on policies and promotes projects
which aim to improve the natural heritage and support its sustainable
use. It designates and promotes protected areas including SSSIs, SPAs,
SACs, NNRs and NSAs..
~ SNH home page
Countryside
Council for Wales (CCW) 
The Countryside Council for Wales advises the Government, the National
Assembly for Wales, Local Authorities and others on sustaining the
natural beauty, wildlife and the opportunity for outdoor enjoyment. CCW
is the national wildlife conservation authority for Wales.
~ CCW home page
Natural
England (NE) 
Formerley English Nature, Natural England is the government agency
responsible for nature conservation in England. NE is in charge of
designating SSSIs and NNRs, and many other functions including advising
the government and undertaking research.
~ Natural
England home page
Northern
Ireland Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) 
EHS takes the lead in advising on, and in implementing, the
Government's environmental policy and strategy in Northern Ireland. The
Agency carries out a range of activities, which promote the
Government's key themes of sustainable development, biodiversity and
climate change.
~ Water Management Unit
~ Drinking Water Inspectorate
Joint
Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) 
The JNCC is the UK Government's wildlife advisor, undertaking national
and international conservation work on behalf of the three country
nature conservation agencies English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage
and the Countryside Council for Wales.
~ Freshwater
habitats
~ EU Water Framework
Directive
UK
Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)
The UKBAP is the UK Governments response to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and commits detailed plans for the
protection of these resources. There are several habitat action plans
which cover lakes and lochs:
~ Aquifer fed naturally fluctuating water
bodies
~ Eutrophic
standing waters
~ Mesotrophic lakes
~ Standing
open water and canals
~ Joint
Steering Group for UK Lakes HAP website
See also Biodiversity Research Advisory Group (BRAG)
Networks
This section lists networks in the UK and further afield who carry out research across the range of aquatic sciences and bring groups together who are interested in lakes.
UK
Acid Waters Monitoring Network (UKAWMN) 
The United Kingdom Acid Waters Monitoring Network (UKAWMN), funded by
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was established
in 1988 to monitor the ecological impact of acid deposition in areas of
the UK believed to be sensitive to acidification. Now in its second
decade, its database provides a long-term record of water chemistry and
biology which is unique for upland freshwater systems in the UK. There
are 10 lake sites in the network.
~ UKAWMN
home page
Environmental
Change Network (ECN) 
The Environmental Change Network (ECN) is the UK's long-term
environmental monitoring programme. It is designed to collect, store,
analyse and interpret long-term data based on a set of key physical,
chemical and biological variables which drive and respond to
environmental change at a range of terrestrial and freshwater sites
across the UK. There are 16 lake sites in the ECN programme.
~ ECN home page
EurAqua.org
EurAqua is the European Network of Freshwater Research
Organizations. The aim of EurAqua is to contribute substantially to the
development of European freshwater science and its dissemination on a
European scale, thus having a significant input on the development of
the scientific basis of European water management.
~ EurAqua home page
LakeNet
- World Lakes Network 
LakeNet is a global network of more than 1000 people and
organizations in 100+ countries working for the conservation and
sustainable management of lakes. The LakeNet Secretariat is a
U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing together people
and solutions to protect and restore the health of the world's
lakes.
~ LakeNet home page
Research
This section lists organisations in the UK and further afield who carry out research across the range of aquatic sciences.
Fisheries
Research Services (FRS) 
The Fisheries Research Services (FRS) is an agency of the Scottish
Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD). FRS
provides expert scientific and technical advice to Government on marine
and freshwater fisheries, aquaculture and the protection of the aquatic
environment.
~ Fisheries Research Services home page
Environmental
Change Research Centre (ECRC) 
The ECRC is one of University College London's many inter-disciplinary
research centres. Its work is concerned primarily with aquatic
ecosystem change and climate change on a range of time scales, past,
present and future. Their main interests are freshwater ecology and
palaeolimnology.
~ ECRC
home page
Centre
for Ecology and Hydrology 
The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) is the UK’s Centre
of Excellence for research in the terrestrial and freshwater
environmental sciences. CEH aim to significantly improve understanding
of the processes that determine water flows and water quality, in order
to assist in the sustainable management of catchments and their water
resources.
~ CEH home page
~ CEH
Windermere
~ CEH Dorset
Freshwater
Biological Association (FBA) 
The Freshwater Biological Association is a Registered Charity and an
independent membership organisation, with members drawn from around the
world. Founded in 1929, it aims to promote freshwater science through
innovative research, scientific meetings and publications, and by
providing sound, independent opinion.Freshwaterlife is an initiative to
draw together information on freshwater fauna and flora on the web.
~ Freshwater Biological Association home page
~ FreshwaterLife.info
Foundation
for Water Research (FWR) 
FWA is an independent, not for profit organisation, having charitable
status, that shares and disseminates knowledge about water, wastewater
and research into related environmental issues.
~ FWR home page
~ Water Framework Directive Informnation Centre
WRc
Group 
The WRc Group is an innovative technology based consultancy providing
services to the water, waste and environmental industries. WRc works
with governments and regulatory bodies to ensure soundly based
regulation.
~ WRC home page
UNEP-WCMC
UNEP-WCMC examines the status and location of many different habitats
and identifies the key conservation issues regarding them. Their
studies provide assessments of habitat protection, and guidance on
prioritising conservation action from global and national perspectives.
~ Freshwater habitat
WWF-UK
As a key member of the WWF global network, WWF-UK is actively
contributing to the Living Waters Programme.
~ WWF work on freshwater
~ Living
Waters Programme
~ Partners
Wetlands
~ Conservation and protection of Freshwater
environments
American
Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
ASLO fosters a diverse, international scientific community that
creates, integrates and communicates knowledge across the full spectrum
of aquatic sciences, advances public awareness and education about
aquatic resources and research, and promotes scientific stewardship of
aquatic resources for the public interest.
~ ASLO home page
Australian
Society for Limnology (ASL)
ASL is a scientific society whose focus is the study and management of
inland waters. The ASL was established in 1961 and has a current
membership of over 650 scientists, managers, engineers, teachers and
tertiary level students from all across Australia.
~ ASL home page
New Zealand
Limnological Society (LIMSOC) 
The New Zealand Limnological Society (Limsoc) was formed in 1968 to
establish effective liason between all persons interested in any aspect
of fresh and brackish water research in New Zealand, and to encourage
and promote these interests.
~ LIMSOC home page
Water Supply Regulators
Water
Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS)
The primary aim of WRAS is to promote knowledge of the Water
Regulations throughout the UK and to encourage their consistent
interpretation and enforcement, for the prevention of waste, undue
consumption, misuse, erroneous measurement or contamination of water.
~ Water Regulations Advisory Scheme home page
Office
of Water Services (OFWAT) 
OFWAT is the the economic regulator for the water and sewerage industry
in England and Wales. OFWAT also runs WaterVoice - which aims to be an
effective and influential voice for water and sewerage customers in
England and Wales, in promoting their interests in respect of price,
service and value for money.
~ OFWAT home page
~ WaterVoice home page
Drinking
Water Inspectorate (DWI) 
DWI is responsible for assessing the quality of drinking water in
England and Wales, taking enforcement action if standards are not being
met, and appropriate action when water is unfit for human consumption.
~ Drinking Water Inspectorate home page
Water
UK
Water UK is the industry association that represents all UK water and
wastewater service suppliers at national and European level and
provides a positive framework for the water industry to engage with
government, regulators, stakeholder organisations and the public.
~ Water UK home page
Water Supply Companies (UK)
There are 23 regulated water companies across the UK, below are links to some of the largest. More details can be found here.
Southern
Water
Southern Water provides water supply and wastewater treatment services
across Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
~ Southern
Water home page
Thames
Water
Thames Water provides sewage services to 13 million people and drinking
water to eight million people. Their supply area covers 5000 square
miles across London and the Thames Valley: from Kent in the east to
Gloucestershire in the west.
~ Thames
Water home page
Yorkshire
Water
Yorkshire Water is part of the Kelda Group. Yorkshire Water provides
1.7m households and 140,000 businesses with water and sewerage services.
~ Yorkshire
Water home page
Anglian
Water
Anglian Water is geographically the largest water company within
England and Wales and serves 2.6 million properties across East Anglia
and the East Midlands.
~ Anglian
Water home page
Dwr
Cymru Welsh Water
Welsh Water is the regulated company that provides water supply and
sewerage services to over three million people living and working in
Wales and some adjoining areas of England. It has 1.2 million household
customers and over 110,000 business customers.
~ Dwr Cymru Welsh Water home page
North
West Water
North West Water is owned by United Utilities. The company supplies
about seven million people and 2.9 million households and business
premises. The business is also a provider of water and wastewater
services to over 400 industrial and commercial enterprises.
~ North West Water home page
Scottish
Water
Scottish Water provides water and waste water services to 2.2 million
customers and 130,000 business customers across Scotland.
~ Scottish Water home
page
South
West Water
South West Water is the company that provides water and sewerage
services to 1.5 million people in the Westcountry.
~ South West Water home page
Severn
Trent Water
Severn Trent Water is the world's fourth largest privately-owned water
company - serving over 8 million customers across the heart of the UK,
stretching from the Bristol Channel to the Humber, and from mid-Wales
to the East Midlands.
~ Severn Trent Water home page
Water in Europe
Water
Framework Directive
The European Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) aims to
secure the ecological, quantitative and qualitative functions of water.
It requires that all impacts on water will have to be analysed and
actions will have to be taken within river basin management plans...
~ WFD overview from EUROPA website
European
Environment Agency (EEA) 
The EEA aims to support sustainable development and to help achieve
significant and measurable improvement in Europe's environment through
the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to
policy making agents and the public.
~ EEA Water theme
United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 
The Convention of the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses
and International Lakes (Water Convention) is intended to strengthen
national measures for the protection and ecologically sound management
of transboundary surface waters and groundwaters..
~ Water
Convention summary
International
Year of Freshwater 2003
The United Nations General Assembly in resolution 55/196 proclaimed the
year 2003 as the International Year of Freshwater. The website provides
a comprehensive resource efor all things water related in Europe.
~ Official
website of International Year of Freshwater 2003
~ Official UK website for the UN International
Year of Freshwater
~ Spin-off
from IYF - UK National Collection of Freshwater Sites
UNESCO
Water Portal
The UNESCO Water Portal is intended to enhance access to information
related to freshwater available on the World Wide Web.
~ UNESCO
Water Portal
UK Fishing
Environment
Agency
This site has information for the angler, netsman, fisheries manager,
fish dealer, scientist, or someone who is generally interested in fish.
Find out where to fish and all about licences.
~ Environment Agency’s fisheries
pages
Other
fishing sites
~ http://www.fisheries.co.uk
~ http://www.fishing.co.uk
Journals
~ Archiv für Hydrobiologie
(Schweizerbart)
~ Aquatic Botany (Elsevier)
~ Ecology of Freshwater Fish (Blackwell)
~ Freshwater Biology (Blackwell)
~ Hydrobiologia (Springer)
~ Hydrobiological Journal (Begell House)
~ Journal
of Freshwater Ecology (Oikos)
~ Journal of Limnology (CNR)
~ Journal of Paleolimnology (Springer)
~ Lakes & Reservoirs: Research and
Management (Blackwell)
~ Limnology (Springer)
~ Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
~ Marine
and Freshwater Research (CSIRO)
~ Water Research (Elsevier)
~ Water
Resources Research (AGU)
~ Wetlands (JSWS)
Blackwell
Publishing 
Blackwell Publishing publish several books about freshwater ecosystems
and ecology:
~ Ecology of Fresh Waters (Brian Moss)
~ Freshwater Ecology (Gerry Closs, Barbara
Downes and
Andrew Boulton)
~ Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecology (Richard
Barnes, and K H Mann)
Island
Press Books 
Island Press publish several books about freshwater ecosystems and
their ecology:
~ Freshwater Ecosystem Books
Pond Life Indentification Kit
A simple internet guide to small and microscopic pond life.
~ Pond
Life Identification Kit
Countryside Survey 2000. Module 2:
Freshwater studies 
Within the overall objectives of the Countryside Survey, a sub-set of
more detailed objectives have been developed for the survey of
freshwater habitats. These are to provide information on the status,
distribution and recent changes in freshwater habitats in Great
Britain: to include assessments of freshwater biota, river habitats and
water chemistry.
~ Module
2: Survey of Freshwater Habitats