Citation:
William Stephens, Tim Hess and Jerry Knox, Review of the effects of energy crops
on hydrology. Institute of Water and Environment, Cranfield Univeristy.
Abstract:
1) MAFF has recently launched a scheme to support the expansion of the area of
energy crops grown in England in order to meet the nation’s Kyoto targets for
the reduction in CO2 emissions. This has highlighted concerns about the possible
effects of willow short rotation coppice (SRC) and Miscanthus on the hydrology
of catchments in which they are grown. High levels of water use by these crops
could result in less surface runoff, decreased aquifer recharge and hence
reduced stream flow (Chapter 1