International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research (ICER)

Aquatic environments have been modified by man for centuries. Although the environmental impacts of developing water resources are widely recognized, the mechanisms that underpin the negative effects are often poorly understood. As a consequence, effective mitigation has proven difficult to achieve. Today, development of lakes, rivers, estuaries and coasts to provide energy, transport, and other infrastructure continues under increasingly stringent environmental legislation (e.g. the EU Water Framework Directive).

The International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton, hosts an interdisciplinary team of scientists who collaborate with domestic and international stakeholders to bridge the gaps between disciplines and perspectives. Innovative research involving representatives from ecology, engineering, geomorphology, and the social sciences aims to find solutions to the problems created when aquatic ecosystems are developed.