Lungile Sifundza

Project Title: Design and implementation of mitigation measure toolbox to disconnect farm roadway runoff nutrient losses from waters at catchment scale

Overview: Achieving water quality goals outlined by the EU Water Framework Directive requires reduction in nutrient point and diffuse sources and mitigation of pathways delivering those nutrients to surface water receptors. However, small but critical sources of nutrients such as farm roadways typically retain excessive nutrient concentrations but little investigated. Lungile’s research aims at identifying and mapping critical farm roadways that have all the components of nutrient transfer continuum including source, mobilisation, transport, hydrological connectivity, delivery and thus contribute to water quality degradation. Moreover, the study will establish effective farm roadway runoff mitigation measures and develop a strategy of ‘right place, right management option’ particularly for existing critical farm roadways. Lungile hopes to gain vast knowledge on environmental and water quality management from agricultural landscapes, in Ireland and beyond, in this PhD research.

 Lungile is experienced in water resources system operation including water quality monitoring, water sampling, river stream gauging. She is also competent with ArcGIS and various water resources models such as the Water Administration System (WAS) and HEC-RAC. Lungile has a BSc in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering and an MSc in Water Resources Management.