Environment

Ecology | Water Resources | Geomorphology | Hydrogeology & Groundwater
Hydrology & Water Quality | Social Science & Policy | Maslen Environmental

JBA provide a range of Environmental Services via our growing Environment Team, we have particular expertise in the water environment including the following areas:

• Ecology
• Water Resources
• Hydrogeology and Groundwater
• Hydrology and Surface waters including water quality
• Geomorphology
• Social Science & Policy
• Maslen Environmental

We are experts in providing a range of services from site specific surveys and investigations to more general management plans or strategies at a catchment, regional or national level. In addition we have advised clients on policy development and developed national guidance and datasets. We provide both practical survey, design and monitoring services, and also advice regarding environmental issues, including undertaking expert witness roles.

We work as an integrated team to meet our clients requirements and address specific environmental issues and concerns. We have particular experience in:

• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Water Quality Studies
• Managing Sensitive Water Environments
• Land Management and the Environment
• Management Services to Internal Drainage Boards
• Social Impacts of Flooding
• Developing Policy, Visioning, Strategies, and Management Plans

Ecology

With a focus particularly on the water environment and its management including protected wetlands, rivers and ditch systems we specialise meeting client’s needs through negotiation and relationship building with local and national authorities whilst maintaining independence and objectivity.

JBA's Environment Division offers a wide range of environmental, ecological and hydro-ecological services.

We have a unique ability to survey, assess, design and restore wetland environments, and deliver site management plans. We undertake both statutory and non-statutory Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of drainage and water level management schemes.

Our experienced ecologists undertake habitat and vegetation surveys including:

• Extended Phase 1 Habitat Surveys
• Phase 2 Habitat Surveys and NVC assessment
• River corridor surveys
• Aquatic macrophyte survey
• Hedgerow survey
• Invasive and non-native species survey

Our ecologists are experienced in surveying protected species and fauna including:

• Badger, bat, otter and water vole surveys
• Amphibian and aquatic invertebrate surveys
• Breeding and wintering bird surveys

Our in-house specialist staff also provide a number of environmental data management solutions based on Geographical Information Systems.

JBA routinely prepare detailed mitigation and habitat enhancement proposals, tailored to meet site and species specific requirements including:

• Habitat creation and enhancement
• Restoration schemes
• Species capture and translocation
• Site supervision

We offer comprehensive site management capabilities. Our site staff oversee the implementation of mitigation and enhancement proposals.

Our ecologists, engineers and hydrologists provide practical solutions for the management of aquatic and wetland environments including:

• Wetland design, creation, restoration and management
• Hydrological and hydrogeological investigations
• Water Level Management Plans
• Hydro-ecology
• Management of sensitive water environments

We also advise clients on issues such as legislation, habitat monitoring and management.

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Water Resources

JBA offers a wide range of hydrological services required to assess and manage water resources in sensitive environments. We have established a reputation for providing, independent and practical advice based on thorough scientific investigation with particular expertise of aquatic and wetland habitats. Core services include:

• Hydrological and hydrogeological modelling
• Hydro-geomorphological investigations
• Water Level Management Planning
• Water resource management

JBA designs each water resources study to meet your requirements. Our aim is to help you to make decisions and plans, making the best of all the available information. We are flexible, working closely with our clients to make sure we understand their needs.

A selection of our water resources projects includes:

• Analysis of climate change and severe droughts for United Utilities
• Modelling abstraction from lakes for CAMS.
• Yield review for Northumbrian Water.
• Assessing the impact of abstraction from Crummock and Ennerdale for the Habitats Directive Review of consents for the Environment Agency.
• Assessing the impact of the Habitats Directive on the Carlisle Resource Zone for United Utilities
• Risk based groundwater licensing R&D

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Hydrogeology & Groundwater

JBA undertake the full range of hydrogeological investigations and analysis including:

• Groundwater investigations including: site investigation (BS5930), hydraulic conductivity testing (falling/rising head tests, packer tests, pumping tests BS6316), monitoring, groundwater quality investigations, chemical sampling and analysis, geophysical surveys and borehole geophysics.
• Groundwater assessment including: flow and transport, rates and mechanisms; availability and vulnerability of groundwater; recharge rates; surface and groundwater interactions; groundwater flooding and rebound.

Groundwater modelling: development of conceptual and numerical models of both flow and quality, including 1, 2 and 3 D models – steady state and transient, MODFLOW/MT3D/Groundwater Vistas/ SEEP/W.

Hydrogeological applications include:

• Wetlands development, rehabilitation and enhancement, including assessment of the potential for habitat development, rehabilitation of habitats including wetland, mires, wet woodland, wet meadow and heathland.
• Assessment of the potential for groundwater abstraction, source development and water supply, including: boreholes, wells, and spring catchments, and application for licences and consents.
• SUDS assessment of drainage to ground for soakaways.
• Dewatering assessment for construction sites, tunnels and mineral excavations, including inflow calculations and, application for discharge consents.
• Environmental Impact Assessment of the impact to groundwaters, soils, geological substrata and surface waters of proposed works or development.
• Particular investigations including risk assessments and assessment of:
  • Groundwater rebound and flooding: flood mapping, modelling, seepage calculations.
  • Groundwater resource assessment: conceptual and numerical modelling, water balance and base flow estimation.
  • Water quality: chemical and contamination modelling and assessment.

JBA have both MapInfo and ArcGIS systems for data synthesis, analysis and presentation and its own in-house software for GPS based data acquisition and site surveys.

Additionally, JBA has engineers and scientists with expertise with regard to a wide range of disciplines covering the whole of the water environment, in particular the surface water environment.

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Hydrology & Water Quality

Most catchments are influenced by human activities. These may be associated with changes to the physical environment, such as development of floodplains and coastal areas; construction of dams and bridges, deepening of navigation channels, or with changes in water quality through the use of the aquatic systems as recipients for waste water. If not designed or managed properly, such influences have an adverse impact on the environment and societal well being as well as being unsustainable in the longer term.

JBA are experts in the monitoring modelling and managing of surface waters. We have particular skills in:

• Management of surface water levels and flows, including management of the Shire Group Internal Drainage Boards
• Design of wetlands and swales
• Water quality sampling, analysis and interpretation
• Water Quality Modelling including nutrient modelling and dispersion modelling of discharges
• Development of tools for assessing water quality

We are experienced in:

• Management of sensitive water environments, where water quality is key to developing and sustaining appropriate habitats, including low nutrient environments such as raised mires
• Catchment studies including modelling of high and low flows within a whole river catchment

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Geomorphology

• Rapid geomorphological assessments of specific, small-scale problems from bank instability to an increase in flood risk associated with excessive sediment accumulation;
• Catchment baseline surveys to provide the context required to ensure regional integration and sustainability of proposed management options;
• Fluvial audits to improve understanding of the sediment budget and channel stability on a reach-by-reach scale;
• Analysis of hydraulic and sediment dynamics to quantify the extent of on-going or potential sediment problems;
• Restoration strategies to provide a catchment scale vision for restoring the functioning and structure of river forms and processes that are characteristic of a particular river type;
• Channel restoration design based on current best-practice methods so that designs are innovative and sustainable but practical;
• River rehabilitation to improve riverine habitat diversity and overall condition;
• Options appraisal to assess the potential impacts/assist in the design of proposed floodplain or channel works;
• Post-project appraisal, including process and form monitoring.

With the benefit of JBA’s academic activities in this field we use a wide range of geomorphological tools to assess and interpret all aspects of the fluvial environment, including:

• Desk based studies;
• Baseline, post-event or project monitoring;
• Field reconnaissance using standard geomorphological field techniques;
• Bank stability assessment;
• Hydraulic and sediment transport modelling;
• Aggradation-degradation modelling;
• Geomorphological impact assessment.

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Social Science & Policy

• Social Aspects of Flooding
• Social Survey
• Flood Risk Management Policy Development

Social Aspects of Flooding

JBA have developed a comprehensive understanding of the social aspects of flooding and are currently working on prestigious projects such as the national-scale mapping of vulnerability to flooding for the Environment Agency, Thames Estuary 2100 Strategy (TE2100) projects and Environment Agency/Defra projects such as Flood Incident Management Planning.

The national Database of ‘Receptors Vulnerable to Flooding’ developed for the Environment Agency draws together 9 national datasets and provides a summary of vulnerability to flooding per 100m grid cell and GIS point, polygon and grid data show the make up of vulnerable groups, vulnerable buildings and land use in their exact location. JBA are also undertaking a Flood Vulnerability Baseline Assessment for the Thames Estuary as part of the TE2100 Strategy Overview. The project will develop an evidence base to support flood risk management options appraisal and impact assessment in the Thames Strategy area.

JBA's knowledge in social aspects of flooding and flood risk management (FRM) means that our Environment team are playing a pivotal role in the development of FRM policy in the Thames Estuary. JBA delivered the TE2100 High Level Options Non-Structural Responses (NSR) project which examines the potential role of non-structural responses in flood risk management in the Thames Estuary and are now managing a project which aims to investigate and develop a decision support tool to assess potential receptor response applicability over the Thames Estuary. The tool will draw on the outcomes from the above projects to provide information on vulnerability, hazard and associated consequence both at the immediate, short term and longer term recovery timescales.

Social Survey

JBA are undertaking a survey to assess the level of support of Environment Agency Duty Officers within the Flood Incident Management function. This includes the following:

• Questionnaire surveys
• Telephone interviews
• Face-to-face interviews
• Focus Groups
• Analysis of the levels of support and appropriateness of training for the roles undertaken.

Social Aspects of flooding:

• Vulnerable to Flooding
• Social Vulnerability Baseline.

Developing Policy, Visioning, Strategies and Management Plans

The team includes a unique blend of planning and management skills, with an appreciation of hydrological and morphological processes, policy and environmental constraints and opportunities.

We have been involved in the development of a range of plans, policies, visions, reviews and strategies:

• Manchester Mosslands Vision
• Water Level Management Plans
• Review of all the Internal Drainage Boards in England for Defra
• Flooding Strategies
• Over 10 Strategic Flood Risk Assessments

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