Integrated water quality and environmental cost-benefit modelling for the management of the River Tame

In the UK, the River Tame catchment covers an area of about 1,400 km(2) and forms the northern portion of the Birmingham Conurbation. In the 1960s, we t weather conditions in Birmingham could result in the total depletion of o xygen in the River Trent below the Tame confluence. Construction of a syste m of purification lakes at Lea Marston, below the major polluting discharge s, was completed in the early 1980s. Today, the operation of the Lea Marsto n Lakes significantly improves the quality of the Tame. However, wet weathe r pollution episodes in the Tame continues to have a severe impact on water quality in the Trent and put major fisheries at risk. This paper reports o n the outcome of an integrated environmental impact and cost-benefit assess ment modelling study into the future strategic management of the Lea Marsto n Lakes. The study demonstrated that the Lea Marston Lakes provide an econo mically justifiable method for reducing the water quality impact of the Bir mingham conurbation and as a result will continue to be operated. (C) 1999 IAWQ Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.