EPSRC DLA: Water Quality and Flood Risk in Chalk Landscapes: Integrating Smart Sensor Networks and Advanced Signal Processing

This fully funded PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to work at the cutting edge of environmental monitoring and data science. You will explore how we can predict groundwater contamination and groundwater driven flooding in Chalk landscapes that support unique stream ecosystems.<br /> <br /> A key part of the project involves deploying and using Smart Sensors to continuously monitor natural indicators of water quality, such as organic matter fluorescence and turbidity. These high resolution datasets will allow you to uncover patterns that cannot be detected with traditional monitoring approaches.<br /> <br /> You will then apply Advanced Signal Processing to link these water quality signals with rainfall, streamflow behaviour, and pressures from land use, geology, climate, drainage infrastructure and wastewater discharges. This combination of state of the art sensing and data analytical techniques will help reveal how and when contamination and drought or flooding events are likely.<br /> <br /> By the end of the project, your findings will contribute to improved forecasting tools that can protect groundwater supplies, stream ecosystems, and critical infrastructure, supporting early warning systems and smarter environmental management.<br /> <br /> This is an ideal project for students excited by environmental science, hydrology, data analytics or sensing technology, and who want to make a meaningful contribution to real world water challenges.<br /> <br /> The School of Earth and Environment invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2026/27 for the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award Scholarship.

<p><strong>Rationale:</strong> Chalk catchments are the UK’s most important groundwater resource, supplying drinking water and supporting rare chalk stream ecosystems. They are also highly vulnerable to <strong>groundwater flooding, drought, and contamination</strong>. Similar challenges exist across northern Europe (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark). Better understanding of such systems can protect public water supplies, rivers, and critical infrastructure.</p> <p>Multiple pollutants can move through Chalk quickly via fractures and conduits:</p> <p>1.   <strong> Pathogens</strong> that threaten drinking water and stream health<br /> 2.    <strong>Particles and microplastics</strong> (e.g., from tyre wear) that damage river habitats<br /> 3.    <strong>Chemicals</strong> (pesticides, pharmaceuticals, PFOS/forever chemicals, hydrocarbons, heavy metals)<br /> 4.    <strong>Nutrients </strong>that drive algal growth and degrade water quality</p> <p>Chalk catchments are also commonly affected by groundwater flooding and droughts.  How these risks play out depends on <strong>catchment structure and land use</strong>, including karstic pathways and unsaturated zone thickness, cover sediments, farming practices, road drainage, and wastewater discharges.</p> <p><strong>What makes this project unique</strong></p> <p>1.    <strong>Smart Sensor Networks (cutting edge field instrumentation)</strong><br /> You will deploy an integrated network of in stream and borehole sensors such as <strong>fluorescence probes</strong> (e.g., PME C Fluor) and <strong>distributed fibre optic sensing (DAS)</strong> to continuously track natural indicators of water quality (e.g., <strong>natural organic matter fluorescence</strong> as a proxy for sewage derived proteins, <strong>turbidity</strong> for sediment load, and <strong>temperature</strong>). These high frequency, spatially distributed measurements capture signals that traditional sampling often misses.</p> <p>2.    <strong>Advanced Signal Processing (turning data into forecasts)</strong><br /> You will apply modern time series techniques: <strong>Fourier analysis, Impulse Response Functions / cross correlation analysis,</strong> to connect rainfall and streamflow to water quality signals. This allows you to reveal <strong>pathways, lags, and memory effects</strong> in the catchment and to forecast when contamination events or groundwater driven flooding is likely.</p> <p>Together, these approaches view the <strong>catchment as a system</strong> that transforms meteorological inputs (rainfall/evaporation) into observable outputs (fluorescence, turbidity, temperature). Reading those outputs in real time gives a powerful early warning capability.</p> <p><strong>Your research goals:</strong></p> <p><strong>Deploy sensors and validate data</strong><br /> Deploy fluorescence probes (e.g., <a href="https://www.pme.com/new-products/introduction-cfluor-logger"><strong>PME C Fluor or Cyclops-7</strong></a>) and <a href="https://geosolutions.leeds.ac.uk/collaborate-with-us/facilities/das_dts/"><strong>DAS fibre optic sensors</strong></a> in <strong>monitoring wells at the <a href="https://chesssmarterwatercatchment.org/">River Chess catchment</a></strong>. Run targeted sampling campaigns and <a href="https://www.bgs.ac.uk/groundwater/services/"><strong>laboratory fluorescence analyses</strong></a> available at the British Geological Survey to validate in situ signals.<br /> <strong>Process and analyse time series data</strong><br /> a.    Clean and pre process rainfall, streamflow, and water quality records<br /> b.    Apply <strong>Fourier transforms, Impulse Response Functions / cross correlation analysis</strong> to quantify<strong> lag times, signal persistence</strong>, and <strong>event signatures</strong><br /> <strong>Perform geospatial analysis</strong> to relate response functions and lags to <strong>land use, geology</strong> (e.g., unsaturated zone thickness, presents of clay with flints cover sediments), <strong>soil moisture, road/drainage networks</strong>, and <strong>wastewater discharges</strong>.<br /> <strong>Produce guidance</strong> for catchment management and infrastructure protection</p> <p><a href="https://chesssmarterwatercatchment.org/"><strong>The River Chess Catchment</strong></a> is one of the three study catchments in the <strong><a href="https://fdri.org.uk/">UKRI Floods and Droughts Infrastructure Scheme (FDRI)</a></strong>, which aims to integrate flood risk management and sustainable management of water resource systems.</p> <p><strong>What you’ll gain</strong></p> <p>1.    <strong>Field skills</strong>: Installing and maintaining smart sensors; borehole and stream sampling; designing validation campaigns<br /> 2.    <strong>Data and computing skills</strong>: Time series analytics, signal processing, geospatial analysis, and coding for environmental data science<br /> 3.    <strong>Domain expertise</strong>: Hydrogeology of Chalk systems, contaminant transport, and early warning/forecasting for water risk<br /> 4.    <strong>Real world impact</strong>: Collaborate with stakeholders (e.g., <strong>Water Companies, Environment Agency</strong>) to design outputs and guidance they can use in decision making</p> <p>This project is ideal if you are excited by <strong>environmental science/hydrology and data analytics</strong>, enjoy a mix of <strong>fieldwork and data analysis</strong>, and want your research to shape <strong>real world water management</strong>. Backgrounds that fit well include environmental science, geology/geophysics/earth science, geography, civil/environmental engineering, physics, data science, or related fields. Training will be provided.</p> <p>You will benefit from the strong research environment within the <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see"><strong>School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability</strong></a> and its<strong> <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/institute-applied-geoscience">Institute of Applied Geoscience (IAG)</a></strong>. The IAG conducts world leading research across applied geophysics, rock mechanics, engineering geology, hydrogeology, petrophysics and geomechanics, sedimentology, and planetary exploration. The School’s broader research landscape encompasses major centres relevant to this project such as <strong><a href="https://water.leeds.ac.uk/">water@leeds</a>, </strong>the<strong> <a href="https://climate.leeds.ac.uk/">Priestley Centre for Climate Futures</a></strong>, and cross faculty initiatives tackling environmental and geotechnical challenges, thus providing further opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;">Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2026.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;">Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <em><strong>EPSRC DLA: Water Quality and Flood Risk in Chalk Landscapes: Integrating Smart Sensor Networks and Advanced Signal Processing</strong></em> as well as <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/1603/prof-jared-west"><strong>Professor Jared West</strong></a> as your proposed supervisor.</p> <p>You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project.</p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

The minimum entry requirements for PhD study is a 2.1 honours Bachelor degree, or equivalent, in a subject relating to your proposed area of research, or a good performance in a Master’s level course in a relevant subject.<br /> <br /> A first class honours degree (or equivalent) is usually required to be competitive for scholarship funding and a Master's degree is also a valuable asset. <br /> <br /> Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or PGR Admissions Team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for postgraduate research study in the School of Earth and Environment is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>We are offering a fully funded EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award scholarship to study the project: Water Quality and Flood Risk in Chalk Landscapes: Integrating Smart Sensor Networks and Advanced Signal Processing, at the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds for one UK status candidate. The funding covers UK tuition fees as well as a UKRI matched maintenance stipend (currently £20,780 in 2025/26) per year, for 3.5 years, subject to satisfactory progress. Training and support will also be provided.</p> <p><strong>Eligibility Criteria: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Applicants must be eligible to pay fees at the Home (UK) rate.</li> </ul> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">If you are unsure whether you are eligible for UK fees/funding, please see our <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/undergraduate-fees/doc/fee-assessment">fee assessment page</a>.</p>

<p>For further information about this project, please contact Professor Jared West by emailing <a href="mailto:L.J.West@leeds.ac.uk">L.J.West@leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information about your application and how to apply, please contact the Postgraduate Research Admissions Team by emailing <a href="mailto:ENV-PGR@leeds.ac.uk">ENV-PGR@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>