The E-Flows Mesocosm is the only one in Europe which provides us with a research platform of 60 artificial streams and ditches over which we have complete control

A unique Platform for Higher Tier Risk Assessment of Novel Plant Protection Products. The new E-Flows mesocosm has been in development for two years and will allow the examination of simulations of natural aquatic environments under controlled conditions. This form of higher tier testing will enable the agri-chemical industry, particularly those developing plant protection products such as pesticides, to demonstrate whether their products pose any risk to aquatic environments. 

Providing a test-bed of 60 realistic streams, each of up to two metres wide and ten metres long, the flow of each stream in the E-Flows mesocosm can be varied independently so that they can be fast flowing like a stream, slow following like a ditch or event almost still, like a pond, giving researchers complete flexibility and control.

E-Flows Mesocosm Facility

As new Plant Protection Products are developed, there is a need to ensure that they are safe for the aquatic environment.  The new E-Flows mesocosm provides a unique test-bed to demonstrate this.  CHAP's ground breaking project, supported by Innovate UK and developed, designed, managed & operated by Fera has created 60 realistic streams, each up to two metres wide and ten metres long, each having a continuous matched supply of aged fresh water, and all being independent of each other. This provides a facility that is a realistic, but closely controlled, facsimile of edge-of-field surface waters that can be exposed to novel products in a real-world scenario to ensure the safety of our aquatic habitats. This unique facility represents a leap forward in the support of Higher Tier Risk Assessments.

Each 10m experimental unit has a base volume of up to 4000 litres, and for the first time, can be supplied with non-recirculated, fully flow through freshwater at any rate up to five litres per minute per unit.  This means that the E-flows facility as a whole can handle up to 400 cubic metres of water per day – that’s over an Olympic sized swimming pool every week!  All waste water can be treated though a purpose built tertiary treatment prior to release.  The flow can be varied independently in each stream unit, so that they can be slow flowing, like ditches, or even almost still, like ponds.  

The biota established in each unit will be in accordance with the type of habitat being simulated.  This will minimise the stress to the organisms that can occur in artificial habitats.  Also, the variable retention time that is controlled by the flow regime, means that exposures can be pulsed in a way that is very close to that models predict will occur in real edge-of-field waterbodies after rainfall events and from drain flows etc. Facilitating useful Higher Tier Risk Assessment The E-Flows mesocosm will be available for risk assessment projects such as these, or any other research projects involving impacts or effects on lowland aquatic habitats from now.