dataset · United Kingdom

G-BASE water samples

The BGS Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment (G-BASE) was the national strategic geochemical mapping programme in Great Britain. The project set out to establish the chemistry of the surface environment by the collection and analysis of stream sediment, stream water and soil samples. Beginning in the late 1960s in northern Scotland and moving southwards across the country, the primary focus was mineral exploration, however, the project quickly developed to address important environment

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Source details

Licence: ["The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in an

Evidence quality: 34.8

Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).

Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z

What's in it

Data offered docs-verified: stream water pH, conductivity and alkalinity (determined in the field) · stream water major and trace elements by ICP-AES/MS (27 elements, high-order streams) · stream water trace elements by quadrupole ICP-MS (24 elements) · Cl and NO3 (automated colorimetry), F (ion selective electrode), and some IC results · non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC) / dissolved organic carbon · bicarbonate, plus uranium and fluoride across much of the UK
Coverage docs-verified: Great Britain (samples collected for approximately 85% of GB) · late 1960s to 2014 (sample collection)
Resolution docs-verified: point samples, one set per drainage site
Update frequency docs-verified: Not planned (static baseline; final samples collected 2014)
Access docs-verified: Free download via data.gov.uk; reuse subject to BGS/NERC access constraints (NERC copyright, no reproduction without permission); samples and detailed results via BGS Enquiries

Useful for

Use cases llm-inferred: Pre-development background stream water chemistry (pH, conductivity, alkalinity, metals) for EIA or drainage baseline reporting · Comparing site surface-water chemistry against a national reference baseline for contaminated land or mining-legacy assessments · Regional context for water quality and geochemical risk screening in civils or environmental desk studies
Audience llm-inferred: environmental consultants · hydrologists · geochemists · contaminated land specialists · ecologists

Limitations

Constraints docs-verified: Analyte coverage is partial: a wide range of analytes were only determined from the Wales and Humber-Trent atlas areas southwards · No updates planned; data reflects sampling up to 2014 · Samples cover approximately 85% of Great Britain only · Access constraints: reuse requires NERC/BGS permission for reproduced material · Page licence field shows 'Not set' despite the Open Government Licence statement, so confirm terms before reuse

Evidence

Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.