H1 Assessment and River Quality Planning (RQP)
Environment Agency H1 Software Tool
Hydrogeo have progressed a number of surface water risk assessments for environmental permitting projects. These include major civil engineering works associated with High Speed 2 (HS2) railway, as well as providing input into a number of temporary de-watering schemes.
Recent projects have required Hydrogeo to utilise the H1 risk assessment software tool developed by the Environment Agency to assess the potential impact posed from any hazardous pollutants released within the surface water discharge.
The H1 Assessment software can be utilised to determine discharges to surface waters and to small infiltration systems from the operation of installations and waste sites, point source water discharge or stand-alone water discharge activities.
River Quality Planning (RQP) Monte Carlo Modelling
Hydrogeo can also assist with more detailed modelling such as – River Quality Planning (RQP) to determine environmental permitting requirements. The RQP methodology can be utilised in order to calculate the effect of a single water discharge on the water quality of a river, evaluating the discharge quality required to avoid a failure of an Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) or alternatively the improvements required in discharge quality to meet the EQS.
Metal Bioavailability Assessment Tool (M-BAT) and Metals Permitting (MPER)
Our consultants also progress MBAT and MPER assessments of metal concentrations in water. Hydrogeo are able to model metals including dissolved copper, zinc, manganese, nickel and lead. The Environmental Quality Standards for these metals are based on the bioavailable fraction of the dissolved metal. This modelling and assessment is critical for implementing the WFD and the investigations being undertaken into metal and chemical pollution in the UK.
