The form and function of any wetland is shaped by a diverse range of influences including geology, hydrogeology, climate, ecology, and historical and current human uses. We specialise in identifying these influences in order to develop a holistic understanding of wetlands, so that they can be managed, restored, preserved and enhanced effectively. Rigare has a successful track record in high profile studies on wetlands and hydroecology in the UK, including:

• Authorship of three chapters for the in-press Fen Management Handbook (sponsored by the UK's conservation and regulatory authorities)
• Key input to a study developing guidelines on hydrological supporting conditions for humid dune slack vegetation communities
• A pilot study on application of the Water Framework Directive to UK wetlands
• Delivery of a paper on the application of the WFD to wetlands at HydroEco 2009 in Vienna

Characterisation; investigating, instrumenting, surveying, monitoring

We have extensive experience of investigating and monitoring wetlands, and have beeen strongly involved in the refinement of monitoring equipment and practices, in association with the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency.

• Investigation and characterisation techniques including; design and installation of shallow dipwells and piezometers for water level measurement; shallow-zone hydraulic testing; hand-auger survey; lithological logging to BS5930
• Surveying; topography, hydrology and hydrochemistry
• Measurement & monitoring techniques including; installation and use of pressure transducers (Divers, Trafag, OTT); design, installation and use of surface water flow monitoring equipment, measurement of peat growth/shrinkage, sediment tracks, installation of weather stations and earth anchors
• Design & execution of hydro(geo)logical & ecological site monitoring programmes
• Management, quality assurance and presentation of datasets

Understanding wetlands – analysing & explaining.....

• Innovative integration, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data
• Identification and characterisation of the key physical, chemical and biological processes, leading to conceptual understanding of wetland function. Use of national classification schemes such as WetMecs to facilitate comparison of conceptual understanding between wetland sites
• Assessment of wetland hydrecological condition. Research & development of guidelines on preferred hydrological regimes for wetland habitats, and practical application of these guidelines to individual sites

Wetland impact assessment

We have assessed the impacts of various environmental stresses on wetlands on numerous high profile projects in connection with the Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems test under the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats Directive, Water Level Management Plans and the English and Welsh Governments' policy to bring a high proportion of SSSIs into favourable or recovering condition by 2010.

• Identification of threats to site integrity and environmental supporting conditions; groundwater and surface water abstraction, point- and diffuse-source water contamination, on- and off-site land drainage.
• Expertise to carry out impact assessment in relation to the complete range of threats to site integrity.
• Step-wise & cost-effective approach to impact assessment; from professional judgement, through simple calculations to detailed numerical modelling.

Preserving, restoring & enhancing wetlands

• Design and implementation of innovative hydrological remediation schemes, recognising the need to restore the natural hydrological functioning of a site as much as possible.
• Practical application of techniques such as water level control structures, drain blocking and filling, river restoration projects, micro-scale hydrological habitat management.
• Remedial option feasibility studies, management of stakeholder consultation, engineering design and costing, tendering, site supervision, commissioning & aftercare.