Nutrient Source Apportionment for Rivers in England and Wales

Environmental Information Data Centre provides modelled estimates of in-river nutrient concentrations and loads from multiple sector sources for rivers in England and Wales. The dataset, modelled with the SAGIS framework, includes nitrate and ortho-phosphate data from both diffuse sources like livestock farming and point sources like wastewater effluent.

Use Cases

• Analyze contributions of nitrate and ortho-phosphate from diffuse sources like livestock farming and arable farming to identify primary agricultural pollution drivers.
• Compare nutrient loads from point sources such as treated wastewater effluent and industrial discharges against diffuse urban runoff to prioritize mitigation efforts.
• Model in-river concentrations of nitrate (mg/l N) and ortho-phosphate (mg/l P) using the SIMCAT catchment model to assess water quality compliance.

Strengths

• Data covers rivers across two nations, England and Wales, providing a broad spatial scope.
• Includes estimates for multiple nutrient types (nitrate and ortho-phosphate) and units (mg/l and kg/day).
• Distinguishes between a wide range of sector sources, including both diffuse and point categories.

Limitations

• Data is modelled output from SAGIS and SIMCAT, not direct measurements, introducing uncertainty from model assumptions.
• Specific sample size, row count, and temporal coverage are not provided, limiting reproducibility assessments.
• Geographic scope is limited to England and Wales, not the entire UK.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre.

Collection Method

Modelled using the SAGIS (Source Apportionment GIS) framework and the Environment Agency's SIMCAT catchment river model.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Rivers in England and Wales.