About us

Last changed: 23 February 2024
12 persons standing on a stair. Photo.

The SLU Water HUB is a resource for everyone working professionally with water quality management. We are an interdisciplinary network of researchers at SLU working with modelling and analysis of nutrients in water at the catchment scale.

In particular, we perform work to calculate leaching, transport, retention and source apportionment of nitrogen and phosphorus. The main activity of the SLU Water HUB is to produce basic data that can be used to reduce eutrophication.

Contact information

Aim and goal

The main objectives of SLU Water Hub are to:

  • Clarify SLU's expertise and role in Swedish water management, particularly in catchment scale modeling and assessment of water quality.
  • Provide a focal point for external stakeholders.
  • Organizing and coordinating the activities internally (projects, tasks and resources).
  • Achieve and secure a critical mass of expertise for long-term sustainable activities.

The short term aim is to develop, manage and apply SLU's models and calculation system for soil leaching, transport and turnover of nutrients in catchments.

The long-term goal is a decision support system for the development of cost-effective action programmes for reducing eutrophication in lakes, rivers and seas. 

Activities

The main activities for SLU Water HUB are:

  • Develop models and tools for the calculation of soil leaching, river transport, retention and source apportionment of nitrogen and phosphorus, and cost effectiveness of different measures;
  • Calculate nutrient losses from especially agricultural land;
  • Manage and store developed models and tools and related documentation;
  • Apply models in various assignments to calculate nutrient leaching, effect of measures against eutrophication and cost effectiveness of measures
  • Provide models and tools for assignments, research and teaching, and offer model training for professionals in the water sector;
  • Co-operate with water management authorities
  • Coordinating the activities internally and SLU's water related work within the framework of the consortium SMED;
  • Participate in major national and international projects such as LifeIP Rich Waters, Biowater, NORDBALT-ECOSAFE and Waterdrive.

Some important areas of application are:

  • Water authorities work under the EU Water Framework Directive (management and action plans);
  • Work by Swedish Board of Agriculture to follow-up the environmental impact of agricultural policy and the monitoring and reporting under the EU Nitrates Directive;
  • Reporting of pollution loads on the sea to international commissions (HELCOM and OSPAR);
  • Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management's follow up of the environmental objective Zero Eutrophication
  • Local planning and action work (municipalities, water management boards and Water authorities).

Organization

The unit is common to departments at the MVM-cluster on the faculty of natural resources and landscapes. Currently the unit is delimited to activities and projects at the Departments of Aquatic Science & Assessment and Soil & Environment. 

The unit initiates and coordinates projects within the SLU activity environmental monitoring and assessment and its programme and Eutrophication. The unit is headed by a manager who is placed at the Department of Soil & Environment.

Staff

SLU Water Hub is gathering the staff working with eutrophication at the Department of Soil and Environment and the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment. Employees currently connected to SLU Water Hub are:

Aronsson Helena  Helena.Aronsson@slu.se

Blombäck Karin  Karin.Blomback@slu.se

Collentine Dennis – Dennis.Collentine@slu.se

Djodjic Faruk  Faruk.Djodjic@slu.se

Fölster Jens  – Jens.Folster@slu.se

Futter Martyn  Martyn.Futter@slu.se

Geranmayeh Pia  Pia.Geranmayeh@slu.se

Johnsson Holger – Holger.Johnsson@slu.se

Kyllmar Katarina  Katarina.Kyllmar@slu.se

Lannergård Emma – Emma.Lannergard@slu.se

Lindsjö Anders – Anders.Lindsjo@slu.se

Linefur Helena – Helena.Linefur@slu.se

Markensten Hampus  Hampus.Markensten@slu.se

Mårtensson Kristina – Kristina.Martensson@slu.se

Norberg Lisbet – Lisbet.Norberg@slu.se

Orback Caroline – Caroline.Orback@slu.se (on leave)

Persson Kristian – Kristian.Persson@slu.se

Sandström SaraSara.Sandstrom@slu.se

Sonesten Lars  Lars.Sonesten@slu.se

Widén Nilsson Elin  Elin.Widen@slu.se


Contact

Karin Blombäck, Contact person of SLU Water Hub
Department of Soil and Environment, SLU
karin.blomback@slu.se, +46 (0)18-67 12 63