Objectives

The other aims of this ITN were to:

• Develop and consolidate knowledge on the understanding of uncertainty in integrated water quality modelling studies (WP1).
• Evaluate different approaches for the identification and - where possible - quantification of uncertainty at significant temporal and spatial scales in catchments (WP2, 3).
• Work with engineering consultants to develop methods that can be used to communicate the implications of uncertainty in water quality predictions to improve the decision-making process (WP4).
• Disseminate this understanding in a format that can be used by practitioners and public authorities as they implement the WFD (WP4).

The proposed scientific and technological objectives of the ITN were to:

• Test and further develop statistical methods to elucidate the range of uncertainty in model inputs, parameters and structure in sub-models used to simulate water quality in catchments (WP1).
• Test and further develop methods to propagate uncertainty in water quality predictions between models with different spatio-temporal resolutions (WP2).
• Create guidance documents and protocols that advise end users on what type and complexity of integrated water quality model to select for different purposes (WP4).
• Develop tools to provide information on appropriate modelling tools and data requirements to achieve user-specified confidence levels of water quality predictions for a specific catchment (WP1, 2).
• Develop tools that enable end users to optimise the resources required for data collection and monitoring efforts (WP3).
• Develop tools that can be deployed by end users to select responses to potential water quality failures whilst considering all aspects of modelling uncertainty (WP4).