Dr Robert Ward
Groundwater Science — Head of Science
Location: Keyworth/Wallingford
Tel: +44 (0)1491 692411 (Wallingford)
Tel: +44 (0)115 936 3510 (Keyworth)E-mail Dr Robert Ward
Biography
- 2010–current: Head of Groundwater Science, BGS
- 1999–2010: Principal Technical Advisor — Environment Agency
- 1990: PhD University of East Anglia; Natural and artificial groundwater tracers
- 1985: BSc (Hons) University of East Anglia, Environmental Science (Atmospheric and Aquatic Sciences)
Research interests
- Groundwater policy development and implementation
- Groundwater monitoring
- Aquifer property characterisation (hydraulic testing)
- Conceptual modelling
- Groundwater tracer testing
- Groundwater vulnerability and risk assessment
- Landfill gas
Skills
- Fieldwork (design and implementation)
- Translating science into policy
- Freshwater Science
- Data management and GIS Multi-disciplinarity
Current projects and collaboration
- Management of BGS Groundwater Science Programme
- Development of recommendations for revisions to the EU Groundwater Directive: Groundwater Quality Standards and Threshold Values – EC appointed task leader
- Advisory Board member of EU FP7 GENESIS project: Groundwater and Dependent Ecosystems: New Scientific and Technological Basis for Assessing Climate Change and Land-use Impacts on Groundwater
- Advisory Board member — FutureThames project
- HYDRA consortium ( Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, University College London, University of Oxford, University of Reading)
- Science Management Team — NERC Storm Risk Mitigation and Changing Water Cycle Research Programmes
- Member of EuroGeosurveys Water Expert Group — The association of European Geological Surveys
Professional association
- 2008–present: Member of Geological Society’s Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology Editorial Board
- 2003–present: UK representative on EU Water Framework Directive Groundwater Expert Group (WG C)
- 2004–present: Member of UK Groundwater Task Team (UK WFD Technical Advisory Group)
- 2010–present: Chair of the UK Groundwater Forum
- Fellow of the Geological Society of London
- Member of IAHS
Published outputs
Key Papers
FOUILLAC, A M, GRATH, J, WARD, R S, QUEVAUVILLER, P. 2009. Groundwater Monitoring (Water Quality Measurements). Wiley Blackwell (11 Sep 2009). ISBN: 0470778091.MATHIAS, S A, BUTLER, A P, ATKINSON, T C, KACHI, S and WARD, R S. 2009. A parameter sensitivity analysis of two Chalk tracer tests. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology, v. 42 no. 2. p. 237-244.
GRATH, J, WARD, R S, SCHEIDLEDER, A and QUEVAUVILLER, P. 2007. Report on EU guidance on groundwater monitoring developed under the common implementation strategy of the water framework directiveJ. Environ. Monit., Vol 9, p. 1162 – 1175.
POSEN, P, LOVETT, A, HISCOCK, K, EVERS, S. WARD, R S and REID, B. 2006. Incorporating variations in pesticide catabolic activity into a GIS-based groundwater risk assessment. Science of The Total Environment. V 367, Issues 2-3, p. 641-652.
WARD, R S, STREETLEY, M J, SINGLETON, A J, SEARS, R. 2004. A framework for monitoring regional groundwater quality. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology. Vol. 37 no. 4. p. 271-281.
EDMUNDS, W M, SHAND, P. HART, P and WARD, R S. 2003. The natural (baseline) quality of groundwater: a UK pilot study. The Science of The Total Environment. V 310 Issues 1-3. P. 25-35.
WARD, R S, WILLIAMS. G M and HILLS, C C. 1996. Changes in major and trace components of landfill gas during subsurface migration. Waste Management & Research. Vol. 14 pt/no 3 (1996) p. 1-8.