Tom Ball

Research Interests

Interests currently span ecological and hydrological science and societal response to environmental hazards, notably floods, and including coastal as well as fluvial flooding: I work closely with the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science (under the auspices of UNESCO).

A major part of this research is the effect of global change on flood risk (all types) and the optimal ways to plan for future increases in risk. Qualified as both an ecologist and a lawyer, I have an interest in the use of planning as a means of flood avoidance and more generally as a tool for environmental management..Recent projects in this regard include for UK Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on the Thames Gateway development plans in London (with Newcastle University and partners) and for various governmental agencies on coastal flood risk, flood warning and flood insurance.My work is closely tied to the objectives of the International Hydrological Programme HELP (Hydrology and the Environment for Life and Policy) agenda. HELP aims to inform hydrological research by stakeholder needs in a series of catchments around the world, furthering the objectives of the 7th IHP programme. As part of the Scottish UNESCO work the centre has promoted the involvement of the Tweed and Dee as Scottish HELP basins. Here, major stakeholders such as local authorities, user groups, SEPA and scientists in the catchment are working together towards shared objectives on the interface between hydrological processes and the people who use, live in and enjoy these catchments.

I work particularly closely with the Eddleston Water project in which my main roles are GIS management, development and monitoring of an extensive hydrometric network, and co-ordination of riparian and hillslope research (collaborating with Forestry Commission Scotland and Forest Research). For more information on how the project sits within the implementation programme for the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act, see the annual report to the Scottish Parliament on implementation.

Additional work on the science of land management for reduced flood risk and increased water quality is continuing in collaboration with the new Hutton Institute at Balruddery Farm sustainability platform where I am developing a programme of hydrological monitoring and investigating in-field to channel fluxes of water, sediments and nutrients.

I also conduct research on the socioeconomic aspects of environmental management, notably how to quantify and maximise multiple ecological and socioeconomic benefits in 'natural flood management'-(JosselinRouillard, SAGES PhD candidate, recently completed). A further current topic on the social/ environment interface is a project investigating  novel aspects and analytical techniques for the trade in agricultural 'virtual water' in the context of changing global climates, focussing on key crops in the UK (David Yawson, CECHR PhD candidate, supervised with Sushil Mohan, Economic Studies, and Barry Mulholland, SCRI).

Recent Research Grants

Academic Background

Appointments

Professional Memberships

British Hydrological Society, UK Environmental Law Association

Professional Roles

Scottish Crucible participant, 2009.

Discussant at UKELA meeting on the Flooding and Water Bill, Durham UKELA annual meeting, 2009.

Articles and book chapters

Ball T, Black A, Ellis R, Hemsley L, Hollebrandse F, Lardet P & Wicks J (2012) A new methodology to assess the benefits of flood warning. Journal of Flood Risk Management 5: 188-202.

Rouillard, JJ, Heal, KV, Reeves, AD & Ball, T (2012) Impact of institutions on flood policy learning. Water Policy (Official Journal of the World Water Council) 14: 232-249.

Ball, T (2012) Wetlands and the water environment in Europe in the first decade of the Water Framework Directive: are expectations being matched by delivery?, Chapter in Tropical Wetland Management: The South-American Pantanal and the International Experience, Ashgate, 2012).

Dawson RJ, Ball T, Werritty J, Werritty A, Hall JW & Roche N (2011) Assessing the effectiveness of non-structural flood management measures under conditions of socio-economic and environmental change. Global Environmental Change 21: 628-646.

Ball T, Smith KA, Garnett MH, Moncrieff JB. & Zerva, A (2011) An assessment of the effect of Sitka Spruce (Piceasitchensis Bong. Carr) plantation forest cover on carbon turnover and storage in a peaty gley soil. European Journal of Soil Science. 62: 560-571.

Ball T, Werritty A, Hickey K, Duck, RW, Edwards A.& Booth L (2010) Coastal Flooding In Scotland: Past, Present and Future. Institute of Civil Engineers, 'Coasts, Marine Structures and Breakwaters: Adapting to Change' (Allsop, W, ed.), pp 614-625. ICE, London.

Spray, CS, Ball T, Rouillard J (2010) Bridging the Water Law, Policy, Science Interface: Flood Risk Management in Scotland. Journal of Water Law 20: 165-174.

Ball T, Hendry S, Werritty A and Spray C (2009) Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 – Annotations. Sweet and Maxwell Statutes Annotated.

Ball T (2008) Management approaches to floodplain restoration and stakeholder engagement in the UK: A survey. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology 8:273-280.

Ball T (2007) After Barker: Environmental Impact Assessment and the UK planning regime: Environmental Law Review. 9: 46.

Ball T,  Smith KA, and Moncrieff, JB, (2007) Effect of stand age on greenhouse gas fluxes from a Sitka spruce chronosequence on a peaty gley soil. Global Change Biology 13: 2128.

Ball T (2007) Flood Risk management in Scotland: an update SPEL 123: 102.

Ball, T (2007) The Scottish SEA toolkit: SPEL 118.

Ball, T (2006) EIA and planning permissions: interim guidance. SPEL 116.

Black A, Ball, T, McDonald, A.M (2006) Assessing the value of historic spring flow records in Scotland - SEPA/ Scottish Water internal report.

Zerva A, Ball T, Smith KA, Mencuccini M (2005) Soil carbon dynamics in a Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) chronosequence on a peaty gley. Forest.Ecology and Management 205: 227-240.

Smith KA, Ball T, Conen F, Dobbie KE, Massheder J & Rey, A (2003) Exchange of greenhouse gases between soil and atmosphere: Interactions of soil physical factors and biological processes. European Journal of Soil Science 54: 779-791.

Frolking, SE, Bubier JL, Moore TR, Ball T, Bellisario LM, Bhardwaj A et al. (1998) Relationship between ecosystem productivity and photosynthetically active radiation for northern peatlands. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 12: 115-126.

Research Reports

Ball T, Geddes A, Werritty A, Easton A & Black, A (2012) Flood Insurance Provision and Affordability beyond the Statement of Principles: Implications for Scotland. CREW (Centre for Research Expertise on Water).  

Dawson S, Werritty A, Duck R, Powell V & Ball T (2012) Coastal Flooding in Scotland: A guidance document for coastal practitioners. CREW (Centre for Research Expertise on Water).  

Ball T, Werritty A, Duck RW, Edwards A, Booth L, & Black A (2008) Coastal Flooding in Scotland: A Scoping Study, Report to SNIFFER, Edinburgh (code FRM10)

Ball T, Hemsley L, Lardet P, Hollebrandse F, Wicks J, Ellis R. &  Black A (2007) Assessing the Benefits of Flood Warning: a Scoping Study: Final Report to SNIFFER, Edinburgh (code UKCC10A/B)

Werritty A, Houston D, Ball T, Tavendale A, and Black A (2007) Exploring the social impacts of flooding and flood risk in Scotland, Scottish Executive, Edinburgh.

Black A, Ball T, McDonald, AM (2006) Assessing the value of historic spring flow records in Scotland - SEPA/ Scottish Water internal report.

Conference Proceedings (online)

Ball, T., Black, A.R. and MacDonald, A.M (2012) 120 year records of spring flows in the Pentland Hills, Midlothian: geological controls and response to drought. British Hydrological Society Annual Symposium Dundee, July 2012.

Ball  T, Reilly K, Forsyth J, Heal K & Bonell M (2010) Hillslope hydrological processes and influence on runoff generation at the Borthwick Water, Scottish Borders. British Hydrological Society Third International Symposium, Newcastle University, July 2010.

PhD Supervision

Josselin Rouillard (SAGES, with University of Edinburgh (Kate Heal) – Completed.

David Yawson (CECHR, with SCRI (Barry Mulholland) - yr 3.

Stanislav Ruman (Erasmus exchange, University of Ostrava, local supervisor).

Teaching Yr 1 tutor

'A World in Crisis' (GE11001); 'A World of Plenty' (GE12002).

'Dynamic Physical Worlds' (GE22002).

'Research Methods' (GE30008).

Graduate Modules: ‘Advanced Catchment Hydrology’ ’Monitoring and Modelling’