Gloucester Joint Surface Water Study

The Gloucestershire Joint Surface Water Study was a cooperative venture between the Gloucester Rural District Council, Gloucester County Council, Severn River Authority and Bristol University which began a research project in 1969. One of the main goals was to assess the effect of urbanization on the peak flow characteristics following severe flooding in the Gloucester area in 1968. Later incorporating the Met office and the newly formed Severn Trent Water Authority, a network of rated river flow stations and rainfall intensity gauges were set up to compare rural with urban catchments around Gloucester. Data acquisition was achieved by digitizing strip charts. Later Met Office magnetic tape recorders were used in conjunction with tipping bucket rain gauges. Soil moisture data was also gathered using a Soil Moisture Probe.