{"id":3303,"date":"2025-03-19T15:52:05","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:52:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/shale-gas\/national-methane-baseline-survey-of-uk-groundwaters\/national-baseline-survey-results-lancashire-and-cheshire-basin\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T11:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T11:00:20","slug":"water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/","title":{"rendered":"Water quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Water quality<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Lancashire<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Water%20quality&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Water%20quality&#038;body=%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>There are two significant aquifers across Lancashire: a shallow aquifer formed of&nbsp;superficial glacial sand and gravel&nbsp;interbedded with clay (Figure 1) and a deeper aquifer formed by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/webapps.bgs.ac.uk\/lexicon\/lexicon.cfm?pub=SSG\">Sherwood Sandstone Group<\/a>&nbsp;(Figure 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/FyldeMapsAllsitesJBedits_Superficial.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"FyldeMapsAllsitesJBedits_Superficial\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 1 \u00a0<\/strong>Baseline monitoring network (with superficial geology) in the Fylde. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/FyldeMapsAllsitesJBeditsBedrock.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"FyldeMapsAllsitesJBeditsBedrock\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 2\u00a0 <\/strong>Baseline monitoring network (with bedrock geology) in the Fylde. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<p>The shallow aquifer is up to 40&nbsp;m thick and is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/protect-groundwater-and-prevent-groundwater-pollution\/protect-groundwater-and-prevent-groundwater-pollution#geological-characteristics\">designated by the Environment Agency<\/a> as a&nbsp;secondary B&nbsp;aquifer. It is used for private drinking water supply, farms and golf course irrigation. In the area of former shale gas exploration, this aquifer is underlain by a thick layer (up to 350&nbsp;m) of a low-permeability mudstone, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/webapps.bgs.ac.uk\/lexicon\/lexicon.cfm?pub=MMG\">Mercia Mudstone Group<\/a>. Water moves slowly through this mudstone and it is not classed as an aquifer. Below this is the Sherwood Sandstone Group, which reaches a thickness of up to 750&nbsp;m. The Sherwood Sandstone Group is classified as a&nbsp;principal aquifer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Sherwood Sandstone is too deep to be practically accessible in the area below the Fylde. However, to the east of the shale gas exploration (east of the Woodsfold Fault; see Figure 1), the aquifer is much closer to the surface. In this area, it is used for both public and private water supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The aquifer units overlie the deeper shale that was the shale gas target. In the area of the former gas exploration site, the shale units occur at some 2000&nbsp;m below the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Water sampling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>BGS established a network of water sampling sites consisting of third-party boreholes, wells and streams within a radius of some 10&nbsp;km of the Preston New Road (PNR) and Roseacre Wood (formerly proposed) sites (figures 1 and 2). The network comprised 15 groundwater sites from the superficial deposit and Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifers, and 11 streams. We monitored the water quality at these sites from 2015 to 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also drilled new boreholes in the vicinity of the PNR and Roseacre sites for more detailed groundwater investigation. These were monitored quarterly as for the groundwater sites in the monitoring network from February 2016. A deep borehole (500&nbsp;m) provided for further characterisation of deep groundwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"samplingCampaigns\">Groundwater quality monitoring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitoring of third-party boreholes and wells, together with newly drilled BGS boreholes, involved sampling and analysis of a wide range of physico-chemical parameters, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>water level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>temperature<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>pH<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>conductivity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>redox potential<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>major ions and trace elements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>dissolved gases (oxygen; methane; carbon dioxide; radon)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>organic chemicals (for example, total petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>stable isotopes (<sup>18<\/sup>O, <sup>2<\/sup>H of water,<sup>13<\/sup>C of inorganic carbon and methane)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>groundwater &#8216;age&#8217; indicators (CFCs)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitoring equipment installed in the new boreholes provided near real\u2013time measurements of additional water-quality parameters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Groundwater<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Results from the baseline monitoring of pumped groundwater samples (Figure 3) show that: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the groundwater in both the superficial deposits and Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifers has near-neutral pH and is largely anoxic (it has low or no dissolved oxygen)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>concentrations of nitrate (NO<sub>3<\/sub><sup>&#8211;<\/sup>) are low<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>concentrations of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) are high <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>concentrations of arsenic (As) and ammonium (NH<sub>4<\/sub><sup>+<\/sup>) are high in some of the groundwater tested <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Methane (CH<sub>4<\/sub>) is also often detected, though rarely at high concentrations. The composition of CH<sub>4<\/sub>, where present, suggests that it has been produced in the superficial sediments by microbial reaction of organic matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/LancsBoxes.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"LancsBoxes\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figures 3a and 3b\u00a0 <\/strong>Box plots of the distributions of dissolved chemicals. \u03bcg\/L equals thousandths of a milligram per litre. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/BoxOrgV.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"BoxOrgV\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 3c\u00a0 <\/strong>Box plots of the distributions of dissolved chemicals. \u03bcg\/L equals thousandths of a milligram per litre.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<p>Analysis of organic chemicals suggests that the groundwater contains detectable quantities of some pesticides, perfluorinated compounds and other synthetic chemicals, but the concentrations are low and the numbers of chemicals detected are small. The presence of these substances does, however, indicate effects on the shallow groundwater as a result of human activity (Figure 3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitoring of groundwater in the two aquifers (figures 4, 5 and 6) has shown that the chemical characteristics have been broadly consistent over time. Concentrations of naturally occurring CH<sub>4<\/sub> up to 4&nbsp;mg\/L were observed in groundwater from the superficial aquifer; concentrations in the Sherwood Sandstone Group groundwater are generally low (less than 0.7&nbsp;mg\/l).<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Ca_Fig4a.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4a\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Ca_Fig4a.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_Ca_Fig4a\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4a\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Ca_Fig4a.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Na_Fig4b.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4b\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Na_Fig4b.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_Na_Fig4b\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4b\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Na_Fig4b.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_HCO3_Fig4c.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4c\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_HCO3_Fig4c.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_HCO3_Fig4c\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4c\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_HCO3_Fig4c.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_SO4_Fig4d.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4d\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_SO4_Fig4d.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_SO4_Fig4d\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4d\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_SO4_Fig4d.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Fe_Fig4e.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4e\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Fe_Fig4e.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_Fe_Fig4e\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4e\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_Fe_Fig4e.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_CH4_Fig4f.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 4f\u00a0 &lt;\/strong&gt;Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_CH4_Fig4f.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_Quaternary_CH4_Fig4f\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 4f\u00a0 <\/strong>Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (superficial aquifer); grey indicates initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR site. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_Quaternary_CH4_Fig4f.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Ca_Fig5a.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5a&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Ca_Fig5a.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_Ca_Fig5a\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5a<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Ca_Fig5a.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Na_Fig5b.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5b&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Na_Fig5b.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_Na_Fig5b\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5b<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Na_Fig5b.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_HCO3_Fig5c.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5c&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_HCO3_Fig5c.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_HCO3_Fig5c\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5c<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_HCO3_Fig5c.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_SO4_Fig5d.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5d&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_SO4_Fig5d.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_SO4_Fig5d\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5d<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_SO4_Fig5d.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Fe_Fig5e.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5e&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Fe_Fig5e.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_Fe_Fig5e\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5e<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_Fe_Fig5e.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_CH4_Fig5f.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 5f&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_17409\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_CH4_Fig5f.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByType_SST_CH4_Fig5f\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 5f<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the monitoring network (Sherwood Sandstone Group aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByType_SST_CH4_Fig5f.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Ca_Fig6a.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6a&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Ca_Fig6a.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Ca_Fig6a\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6a<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of calcium in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Ca_Fig6a.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Na_Fig6b.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6b&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Na_Fig6b.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Na_Fig6b\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6b<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sodium in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Na_Fig6b.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_HCO3_Fig6c.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6c&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_HCO3_Fig6c.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_HCO3_Fig6c\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6c<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_HCO3_Fig6c.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_SO4_Fig6d.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6d&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_SO4_Fig6d.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_SO4_Fig6d\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6d<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sulfate in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_SO4_Fig6d.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Fe_Fig6e.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6e&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Fe_Fig6e.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Fe_Fig6e\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6e<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of iron in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_Fe_Fig6e.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_CH4_Fig6f.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 6f&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_30290\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_CH4_Fig6f.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_CH4_Fig6f\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 6f<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of methane in groundwater samples from the new shallow BGS boreholes (superficial aquifer); grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypeBGSBoreholes_CH4_Fig6f.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surface water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Analysis of water from first-order streams shows generally lower concentrations of dissolved solids than  found in the local shallow groundwater, though with slightly higher concentrations of NO<sub>3<\/sub>, nitrite (NO<sub>2<\/sub><sup>&#8211;<\/sup>) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Many trace elements also have lower concentrations than local groundwater due to a combination of differing redox conditions and more limited interaction with rocks and soils. Monitoring of stream quality over time showed by far the greatest variability (Figure 7), considered to be due mainly to varying impacts from amounts of rainfall and water turbidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Post baseline monitoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 indicate (grey wash) the initiation of hydraulic fracturing at PNR (October to December 2018 and August 2019) and the subsequent periods. Data from these post-baseline dates provides no evidence for any effect on water quality from the PNR exploration works. Although concentrations of solutes continued to vary over time, key parameters remained within the baseline range at individual sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Ca_Fig7a.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 7a&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of calcium in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_44902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Ca_Fig7a.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypestream_Ca_Fig7a\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 7a<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of calcium in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Ca_Fig7a.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Na_Fig7b.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 7b&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sodium in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_44902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Na_Fig7b.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypestream_Na_Fig7b\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 7b<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sodium in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Na_Fig7b.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_HCO3_Fig7c.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 7c&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_44902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_HCO3_Fig7c.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypestream_HCO3_Fig7c\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 7c<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of bicarbonate (alkalinity) in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_HCO3_Fig7c.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_SO4_Fig7d.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 7d&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of sulfate in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_44902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_SO4_Fig7d.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypestream_SO4_Fig7d\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 7d<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of sulfate in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_SO4_Fig7d.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Fe_Fig7e.png\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Figure 7e&lt;\/strong&gt; \u00a0Time series of iron in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_44902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Fe_Fig7e.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"TSByTypestream_Fe_Fig7e\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><strong>Figure 7e<\/strong> \u00a0Time series of iron in stream water samples from the monitoring network; grey as for Figure 4. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/TSByTypestream_Fe_Fig7e.png\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"cta-section  sea-background-e \">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row md-row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Need more information?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"btn-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/contact-the-person\/?employee=smedley-pauline\"  class=\"button primary-background   \">Contact Pauline Smedley<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2669,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3303","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Water quality - BGS Groundwater<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Water quality - BGS Groundwater\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BGS Groundwater\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-27T11:00:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\",\"name\":\"Water quality - BGS Groundwater\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-19T15:52:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-27T11:00:20+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Energy\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Shale gas\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Shale gas environmental monitoring\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"Environmental baseline monitoring in the Fylde, Lancashire\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":6,\"name\":\"Water quality\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/\",\"name\":\"BGS Groundwater\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BGS Groundwater\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/11\/BGS_Groundwater_pos.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/11\/BGS_Groundwater_pos.svg\",\"width\":547,\"height\":136,\"caption\":\"BGS Groundwater\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Water quality - BGS Groundwater","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Water quality - BGS Groundwater","og_url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/","og_site_name":"BGS Groundwater","article_modified_time":"2025-11-27T11:00:20+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/","name":"Water quality - BGS Groundwater","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-03-19T15:52:05+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-27T11:00:20+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/water-quality-monitoring-in-lancashire\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Energy","item":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Shale gas","item":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Shale gas environmental monitoring","item":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Environmental baseline monitoring in the Fylde, Lancashire","item":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/energy\/shale-gas-and-groundwater\/shale-gas-environmental-monitoring\/environmental-baseline-monitoring-in-lancashire\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":6,"name":"Water quality"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/","name":"BGS Groundwater","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#organization","name":"BGS Groundwater","url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/11\/BGS_Groundwater_pos.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/11\/BGS_Groundwater_pos.svg","width":547,"height":136,"caption":"BGS Groundwater"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3303"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7844,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3303\/revisions\/7844"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}