About the Project
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the University of Bath URSA competition, for entry in September 2025.
Early application is encouraged, as excellent candidates may receive an early offer of a funded place before the end of the year. To be eligible for early consideration, you must apply before 24 November 2024.
Project Background:
Our water supplies are under increasing threat from climate-driven changes in water quality and quantity. Lakes and reservoirs become depleted in oxygen in the summer due to thermal stratification, as water layers of different temperature form due to increased solar heating and block oxygen resupply from the atmosphere. As a result of these low-oxygen conditions, harmful chemical species (e.g., trace metals, greenhouse gases (GHG)) can be released from reservoir sediment to the overlying water column.
GHG emissions linked to stratification remain largely unquantified in UK lakes and reservoirs. Furthermore, manganese (Mn), a common trace metal in rocks and soil, is a serious problem for drinking-water treatment within the UK and globally (1-2). During recent summers, sporadic peaks in Mn levels have been observed in several UK source-water reservoirs that have not historically had Mn problems. This is likely due to increasing thermal stratification during warmer summers as well as drought effects, including lower reservoir levels and exposed sediment drying/rewetting cycles. Existing issues will worsen and place water security further at risk with increasing temperatures under future climates.
This exciting project brings together world-leading reservoir and catchment researchers, with expertise in Mn cycling (1-3), GHG emissions (4-5) and environmental field monitoring (1-5) to share knowledge and work together in field-based reservoir catchment ‘laboratories’ in the US and UK. Through this novel research, we aim to discover seasonal drivers influencing i) catchment Mn contributions to drinking-water-supply reservoirs and ii) corresponding reservoir GHG emissions.
Specific project goals include:
1. Correlate seasonal soil drying-rewetting cycles to surface water Mn concentrations in reservoir catchments;
2. Identify historical trends between drought, stratification, and reservoir Mn concentrations and GHG emissions;
3. Complete a combined catchment-reservoir field campaign to characterize seasonal influences on Mn levels and GHG emissions in a UK water-supply reservoir. Note that while the above activities will provide the primary foundation of the PhD, it is envisaged that the successful candidate will have significant input into the project design as it evolves. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to pursue any interesting new avenues of inquiry which may emerge, to allow for development as an independent researcher.
Note that while the above activities will provide the primary foundation of the PhD, it is envisaged that the successful candidate will have significant input into the project design as it evolves. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to pursue any interesting new avenues of inquiry which may emerge, to allow for development as an independent researcher.
Candidate requirements:
Applicants must have, or be about to obtain, a UK Honours degree 1st or 2.1, or international equivalent.
Non-UK applicants, who are not currently studying in the UK, must meet the programme’s English language requirement before the application deadline – no exceptions will be considered.
Enquiries:
Informal enquiries are encouraged! Direct these to Dr Bryant – l.bryant@bath.ac.uk
Application Instructions
Please follow the below instructions carefully.
You must make a formal application via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Civil Engineering
Please note that you can apply for a maximum of two PhD projects on this programme.
In the ‘Funding Your Studies’ section, you must select ‘University of Bath URSA’ from one of the drop-down menus.
In the ‘Your PhD project’ section, you must quote the project title in the PhD project title field, and you must quote the lead supervisor’s name in the field ‘Name of intended supervisor at University of Bath.’
If you are applying for two projects, you must quote the project title for your second choice project in the field ‘Project 2 Title’ and the lead supervisor’s name in ‘Name of intended supervisor for 2nd choice project at University of Bath.
You must ensure that you follow the above steps correctly. Failure to complete these steps will cause errors in the automated processing of your application and may mean that you are not considered for a particular project.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We value a diverse research environment and strive to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
The Disability Service ensures that individuals with disabilities are provided the support that they need. If you state if your application that you have a disability, the Disability Service will contact you as part of this process to discuss your needs.
Keywords
Climate change, water quality, drinking water, aquatic chemistry, fieldwork
Funding Notes
Candidates may be considered for a University of Bath (URSA) studentship tenable for 3.5 years. Funding covers tuition fees, a stipend at the UKRI rate (£19,237 p/a in 2024/25) and a £1000/annum training budget.
References
1. Bryant, L. D., H. Hsu-Kim, P. A. Gantzer and J. C. Little. 2011. Solving the problem at the source: controlling Mn release at the sediment-water interface via
hypolimnetic oxygenation. Water Research 45: 6381-6392. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.09.030
2. Carstens, A., L. D. Bryant, M. Botes & G. M. Wolfaardt. 2020. Potential Role of Dissolved Oxygen and Manganese Concentration on the Development of
Biofilms Causing Reduction in Hydraulic Capacity of a Gravity-Fed Irrigation System. Frontiers in Water. 2(27). doi: 10.3389/frwa.2020.00027
3. Bryant, L. D., N. Brockbank, D. Austin. 2024. To mix or not to mix? A holistic approach to stratification-preserving and destratification aeration of drinkingwater supply reservoirs. Water Research. 261:121974. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121974
4. Gatis, N., Benaud, P., Ashe, J. Grand-Clement, E., et al. Assessing the impact of peat erosion on growing season CO2 fluxes by comparing erosional peat
pans and surrounding vegetated haggs. Wetlands Ecol Manage 27, 187–205 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-019-09652-9
5. Pilla, R. M., Faehndrich, C. S., Fortner, A. M., Jett, R. T., Jones, M. W., Jones, N. J., et al. 2024. Shifts in carbon emissions versus sequestration from hydropower
reservoirs in the southeastern United States. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 129, e2023JG007580. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JG007580