Professor Adrian McDonald
- Position: Emeritus Professor
- Email: A.T.McDonald@leeds.ac.uk
Profile
To understand the factors modifying water security and water balance.
Prof Adrian McDonald's research interests focus on environmental management, with particular emphasis on the following fields: resource assessment, natural hazards, microbial dynamics, water colour processes and control, catchment planning and risk, decision support systems, and water demand assessment. Previous research experience also includes diffuse pollution assessment and forecasting, biofuel futures in the energy economy and alternative disputes resolution
Prof Adrian McDonald's research interests focus on environmental management, with particular emphasis on the following fields: resource assessment, natural hazards, microbial dynamics, water colour processes and control, catchment planning and risk, decision support systems, and water demand assessment. Previous research experience also includes diffuse pollution assessment and forecasting, biofuel futures in the energy economy and alternative disputes resolution.
Research Interests
- Environmental management with particular emphasis on the fields of
- Resource assessment
- Natural hazard
- Microbial dynamics and hazard
- Water colour processes and control
- Catchment planning and catchment risk determination
- Decision support systems
- Water demand assessment
- Forecasting and management
- Diffuse pollution assessment and forecasting
- biofuel futures in the energy economy
- Alternative disputes resolution
Current Projects
- 'WaND Programme
(Water and New Developments)
EPSRC funded study of potable water demand forecasting and household forecasting in the UK - Developing models of the sustainable city'
- 'Developing catchment protection assessment systems'
- 'Urban development and non point sources of water'
- 'Short term water demand forecasting'
- 'Embedding sustainability at the design stage and packaging'
Grants (since 2000)
2008
- Water Cycle Management £410,336.00
- Grip blocking in upland catchments £5,052.80
- BIOCONS, EEC £57,324.50
- Yorkshire Water Strategic Partnership £353,302.02
- Yorkshire Water Support for investigations into the demand effects of the Code for Sustainable Housing £45,000
- Environment Agency Support for catchment investigations for flood control £30,000
- CREH Support for demand investigations £20,050
2007
- 2007 EPSRC (SUE consortium) Revisions: The built environment and the built form links to water energy and waste needs. £3.83 million of which c£800,000 to Leeds.
- Yorkshire Water Three studies of cyanobacteria at Scout dyke £9,000
- Yorkshire Water A new spatially disaggregated water demand forecasting model £15,000
- Yorkshire Water An assessment of the Yorkshire Water DCM £4000
- Three Valleys Water An assessment of population figures, hidden and transient populations and water balance closure issues £18,000
- UKWIR Cost effectiveness of demand control. WR 25b £37,000
2006
- Yorkshire Water Residiuum management £35,000
- Yorkshire Water Assessment of pressures and impacts maps £25,000
- Yorkshire Water Determination of HMWB's in Yorkshire £22,000
- Yorkshire Water Remonitoring of colour at Angram and Scar House £13,700
- orkshire Water Rapid assessment of costs/benefits of colour management (Outline funding agreed)
- Yorkshire Water Extension of climate/colour modelling (£16,000)
- Yorkshire Water Rapid colour risk mapping £9,500
- DEFRA Catchment Sensitive Farming: Ingbirchworth £29,000
2005
- South West Water Review of bias in SODWaC demand assessment system £7,250
- Yorkshire Forward Planning for a virtual energy research centre. £9,500
- Yorkshire Water An independent allocation of HMW status in Yorkshire. £20,000
- Scottish Executive Impacts of implementation of Annex III of the Nitrates Directive £9,950
- Yorkshire Forward Supporting the development of the Future Energy Company £9,500
- Yorkshire Water Monitoring eutrophication at Scout Dyke reservoir £3,500
- Yorkshire Water Baseline funding of strategic research partnership £353,000
- Scott, Wilson, Kirkpatrick Development of a Biodiversity Action Planning Information System c£70,000 of which c£10K to Leeds
- Yorkshire Water Grip blocking: costs and benefits £110,000
2004
- English Nature Monitoring hydrological recovery to drain blocking by heather £12,000
- Canadian Foundation Conflict and governance in Canadian water management. $C12,000
- Yorkshire Forward Review of Regional Energy Research and Development of associated database £15,000
- Thames Water Estimating Hidden and Transient Populations £14,000
2003
- EPSRC SUE - WaND Consortium: Water and New Development. £2,500,000 (of which £410,000 to School of Geography [RSU])
- NERC Connect B: Nutrient Dynamics and Land Management on the River Derwent Floodplain. £95,000 (RSU Rejected)
- Environment Agency Impact of stocking density on revegetation and runoff production in eroded moorland. £10,000
- Canada House Management of Resource Conflicts £8,000
2002
- Environment Agency Past and present farming practices on the Ings of the Lower Derwent. £8150 [ULIS]
- Canadian Studies Foundation Best Practise to Minimise Impacts of Extractive Industry. £12,000 [RSU]
- Environment Agency Depositional History of the Lower Derwent Ings: Physical Coring and Analysis. £13,500 [ULIS]
- Yorkshire Water Derive a risk management plan for Elslack Reservoir catchment. £5,000 (ULIS)
- Thames Water Critique of proposals for closure of supply - demand estimation closure gaps. £5,500
- Yorkshire Water Small Area Water Demand Assessment for the East Surface Water Zone. £7,200 (ULIS)
- Yorkshire Water Assessment of the DCM in 2002 and anomalies in York demand. £4,250 (ULIS)
- EPSRC and Yorkshire Water Agent based modelling of small area demand. (studentship). £38,545 (Dept - not taken forward)
2001
- Environment Agency Information requirements for the integrated management of agricultural areas in sensitive river basins. R &D E1-108 £67,000 [RSU]
- First Renewables Develop proceedure for, and map, coppice source areas, South Yorkshire. £3,700 [ULIS]
- Environment Agency Particle size characterisation in estuarine waters. Environment Agency. Aberwstwyth sub-contract. £12,000 [ULIS]
- NERC Connect B Integrated modelling of water, water quality and sediment delivery for best practice in upland environments. £121,739 [RSU]
- Yorkshire Water Evaluating Pumphead Characteristics. £1200 [ULIS]
- Severn Trent Water Hawthorne Effects on Domestic Consumption. £4,700 [ULIS]
- Canadian Foundation Management of Industrial Residuals £12,000[RSU]
2000
- Yorkshire Water Services A Critical Evaluation of Methods for the Estimation of Domestic Water Demand at York Waterworks Company and of the Structure, Operation and Management of the Yorkshire Water Domestic Consumption Monitor. £8,000. [ ULIS]
- Thames Water. A Critical Evaluation of Industrial Demand Forecasting. £5,500 [ ULIS]
- Kelda/First Renewables Nutrient Dynamics on Coppiced Sites. £36,000 [RSU]
- First Renewables Develop proceedure for, and map, coppice source areas, south-west England. £1,700 [Dept]
Future Research
My research plans envisage continued close co-operation with the environment industry and in particular the water industry. The aim is to develop science that is significant to management and policy-making and through that to improve the quality of life and the well-being of the environment.
The following themes will be continued and developed:
- Demand measurement, monitoring and forecasting for a variety of time horizons, demand types and spatial resolutions.
- Improvements and automation of risk analysis and catchment remediation for catchment protection.
- The development of methods and applications for the identification analysis and control of water borne health impactors.
- The extension of sustainable indicators in a variety of contexts (Canadian forestry, water quality, urban improvement) and their interpretation to a format of value to decision makers.
- GEOG2190: French Field Class
- GEOG5410: Water Resource Management
Present Position
- Professor of Environmental Management
Previous Posts
- 2001 Chair, Industrial and Academic Advisory Committee, ICCRM
- 2000 Board, Deputy Director, Centre for Water Policy and Development
- 1999 Board of the Centre for Environmental Management
- 1997 Dean of Research
- 1994 Director of Research
- 1992 Yorkshire Water Chair in Environmental Management
- 1992- Professor of Environmental Management, School of Geography, University of Leeds
- 1991 Director, Leeds Environment Centre
- 1989 Chairman, School of Geography, University of Leeds
- 1984 Senior Lecturer in Geography, University of Leeds
- 1983 Associate Professor, University of Guelph, Canada
- 1978 Regional Scientific Advisory Committee for Environmental Health
- 1972 Lecturer in Resource Management, University of Leeds
Qualifications & Education
- 1974 PhD 'Studies of the physical and economical effects of flooding in an agricultural area' University of Edinburgh
- 1969 BSc Hons First Class, 'Ecological science' University of Edinburgh
Membership of Learned Societies
- 1985- BACS
Other Details
Other Posts
- 2002 Chair, Gallery Development Committee, Eureka!, Halifax
- 2002 Chair, WREN Landfill Tax Allocation Panel
- 2002 Core Member, Regional Energy Forum
- 2000 Chairman, River Ouse Project Board
- 2000 External Examiner, Coventry University
- 1999 Director, WREN
- 1998 Director, Global Environmental Community Trust (ended 1999)
- 1998 Director, CREH Analytical Ltd
- 1998 Director, CREH
- 1997 Director, Yorkshire Environmental Community Trust (ended 1998)
- 1996 External Examiner, Bath University
- 1995 External Examiner, Stirling University and St David's University College
- 1995 External Moderator, University College Scarborough
- 1995 Cabinet Office Advisor
- 1994 HEFCE and HEFCW Quality Assessor
- 1994 External Examiner, Birkbeck College, London University
- 1993 Director, Leeds Environmental Business Forum
- 1993 Chair of Chief Examiners, University of London Examinations and Assessment Council
- 1992 Executive Board, Regional Research Observatory
- 1988 Chief 'AS' level Examiner, University of London Schools Examination Board
- 1988 External Examiner Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economy, East of Scotland College of Agriculture and Edinburgh University
- 1987 Chief Moderator, College of Trinity and All Saints, Leeds
- 1986 External Examiner, University of Edinburgh
- 1985 Chief 'A' level Examiner, University of London Schools Examination Board
If you are interested in increased flooding, you might also like to check out our Information Sheet [PDF FILE]
- McDonald, A.T. (2003) Flooding: An Avoidable Hazard or An Increasing Risk? (2003) [PDF FILE] University of Birmingham, 17th November 2003
- McDonald, A.T. (2003) Is the world getting to be a more hazardous place? (2003) [PDF FILE]University of Salford, Salford, 18th November 2003 / Westminster Hall, London, 1 December 2003
- McDonald, A.T. (2002) 'Flooding: Reaction and Management' Westminster Hall, London, 10 December 2002
- McDonald, A.T. (2002) 'Renewables: Choices, Prospects, Problems' University of Salford, Salford, 14 November 2002
- McDonald, A.T. (2002) 'Floods: An Avoidable Hazard' University of Aston, Birmingham, 11 November 2002
- McDonald, A.T. (2001) 'Flooding: An Increasing Problem? Friends House, London. Phillip Allan Updates, 11th December 2001
- McDonald, A.T. (2001) 'Flooding: An Increasing Problem? University of Salford. Phillip Allan Updates, 14th November 2001
- McDonald, A.T. (2001) 'Merging nitrogen management and renewable energy needs' The Second International Nitrogen Conference, Ecological Society of America, Bolger Conference Centre, Potomac Maryland, 15 October 2001
- McDonald, A.T. (2001) 'Upper Wharfedale Research Visions' River Wharfe Board, Phoenix House, Leeds, 17 July 2001
- McDonald, A.T. (2000) 'Floods: An Avoidable Risk' London, 12 December 2000
- McDonald, A.T. (2000) 'Floods: An Avoidable Risk' Manchester, 6 November 2000
- McDonald, A.T. (2000) 'Water, Air, Land: Managing the Basics' Yorkshire in the 21st Century' Royal Geographical Society and Yorkshire Philosophical Society Conference, Tempest Anderson Hall, York, 8 April 2000
- McDonald, A.T. (2000) 'Microbial Sources and Processes in Surface Waters' Water Training International, Burn Hall, Thirsk, 28 February 2000
- McDonald, A.T. (2000) 'Process studies and software development for water management, conservation, risk recognition and forecasting' (invited), Environment Agency, Phoenix House, Leeds, 31 January 2000
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'From Water Science to Water Management' Sheffield Geographical Society' University of Sheffield, 18 November 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Energy Base 2000: Renewables or Fossil Fuels' Updates Conferences, Aston University, Birmingham, 18 November 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Energy Base 2000: Renewables or Fossil Fuels' Updates Conferences, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 8 November 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Biomass Energy: Sustainability, Rural Environment and Enterprise' Sustaining Rural Environments: An International Conference, Flagstaff, Arizona, 20-23 October 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Regulating Rural Land Use in Water Gathering Grounds in the North of England' Sustaining Rural Environments: An International Conference, Flagstaff, Arizona, 20-23 October 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Risk and Resources: Past Contributions and Priorities for the Future' Future Geographies: 80th Birthday Conference, School of Geography, University of Leeds, 8-9 October 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Water Management Issues in Yorkshire' Oxley Hall, University of Leeds, 7 July 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Managing Risk in Environmental Management' Institute of Education, University of London, 22 April 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Times of Change: Philosophy, Content and Methodology' 10th Annual Conference of Teachers of Geography Syllabus B, School of Education, University of Leeds, Wakefield, 20 March 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Getting Environmental Messages Across International Boundaries' Crossing Boundaries, 15th Annual Conference, Birkbeck Centre for Canadian Studies, Birkbeck College, University of London, 19 February 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Teaching in a Research Environment' Workshop presentation for the PGC Learning and Teaching in HE course, Nuffield Institute, University of Leeds, 17 February 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999) 'Ecosystems and Environmental Management' Institute of Education, University of London, 3 February 1999
- McDonald, A.T., (1999) 'Designing Sustainability into the Packaging Industry' Faraday Partnership (presentation with A. Butt), White Hart Hotel, Harrogate, 2 February 1999
- McDonald, A.T. (1999, In Press) 'The behavior of sulpher, nitrogen and organic compounds in co-combustion of coal and biomass' Proc. Conf., Lisbon, with Kendall, Williams, Chagger and Pourkashanian
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Water Supply Problems in Yorkshire: an Evaluation of The Great Yorkshire Drought' Geographical Association, Bootham School, York, December 1977
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Hazard has Conditioned us to Live with Hazard' Training Partnership, Institute of Education, University of London, 5 November 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Sustainable Development: Problems and Prospects' Invited paper to the Annual Conference of the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers, University of Stirling, 31 October 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Flood Control and Management' Hereford and Brecon Geographical Association, 29 September 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Developing Generic Catchment Management Tools' Headwaters '98, Int. Ass. Water Resources, Moreno, Italy, April 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'The Search for Sustainability' Paper presented at the Geographical Association Annual Conference, University of Leeds, April 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Ecosystems and their Management' Training Partnership, Institute of Education, London, March 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1998) 'Measuring and Forecasting Water Demand' Paper presented at the EPSRC/UKWIR Industry Academia Meeting, London Conference Centre, February 1998
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Approaches to Flood Control' Sovereign Education, Pudsey, November 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Applying Geographical Catchment Research' Paper presented at Research Seminar, University of Cambridge, November 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Water Issues 2,000' Royal Society of Arts' Leeds, November 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Resistance and Vulnerability in Ecological Systems' Training Partnership, Institute of Education, London, November 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Flooding: Ecology, Engineering or Economy, Sovereign Education, Pudsey Civic Hall, 11 November 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Environmental Issues of Small Island States' IBRD sponsored seminar series. University of Mauritius, July 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'The Sustainability of Forestry in British Columbia' Sustainability and Environmental Management, 6th Conference on Canadian Environment and Resources, Centre for Canadian Studies, University of Leeds, 14-15 May 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Developing procedures for risk evaluation and management in upland catchments' International Water Research Association, Paper presented at the Conference on Catchment Management, Whistler, Vancouver, May 1997
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'A hydrochemical basis for managing manganese in water supplies from upland basins' Int. Assoc. Hydro. Sci. Morocco. April 1997.
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'The Great Yorkshire Water Crisis.' Geographical Association, University of Hull, 25th February 1997.
- McDonald, A.T. (1997) 'Ecology, economy & engineering as flood control strategies: rhetoric & reality.' The Training Partnership, Institute of Education, London, 5th February 1997.
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'Ecology, economy and engineering as flood control strategies' The Training Partnership, Institute of Education, London, November 1996
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'What counts in National Examinations!' Sovereign Education, Pudsey Civic Hall, 12th November 1996
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'Costing the earth' Water Training International, Burn Hall, North Yorkshire, 3rd May 1996
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'Rivers and water resource management: problems, issues and solutions' The Training Partnership, Institute of Education, London, 14th March 1996
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'Approaching the examination' Sovereign Education, The Commonwealth Institute, London, 7th March 1996
- McDonald, A.T. (1996) 'Towards sustainable forest management: the case of British Columbia' Paper presented at the 12th Annual Symposium on Canadian Studies, Birkbeck College, London, 17th February 1996