Contact Professor Keith Weatherhead
Areas of expertise
- Water Science and Engineering
Background
From a farming background, Professor Keith Weatherhead graduated in Engineering Science and Economics from Oxford University. After undertaking VSO in Ghana, he worked for international consultants in water resources and irrigation development for seven years, particularly in Indonesia, qualifying as a chartered civil engineer.
He joined Cranfield University in 1981, on the Silsoe and now Cranfield campuses. He gained his PhD on water resource management as a staff member in 2001. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, and the Higher Education Academy.
He has developed methodologies for predicting future agricultural water demand and for assessing irrigation water needs, and contributed to the improvement of abstraction licensing policy and legislation in England. He has led teams modelling climate change impacts in England, Sri Lanka and Spain, and assessing the potential adaptations in the irrigated agriculture and irrigated sports turf sectors.
Internationally, he has supervised research into tea and sugar cane irrigation in Africa, small scale irrigation methods, and climate adaptation in the water and sanitation sector.
Current activities
Professor Keith Weatherhead undertakes research on climate change adaption, future agricultural water demand, and water resources for irrigation. On-going research projects include projects on water trading (EPSRC/LWEC) and current and water supply for agriculture (BBSRC, Defra). He is supervising PhD students researching how to handle uncertainty in climate adaptation, the role for farmer groups in water allocation, and small-scale pumped irrigation in Africa. He works closely with the UK water sector, and is a member of the CIWEM Water Resources Panel, the UK Irrigation Association executive committee, and the NFU-led Water for Food group.
Clients
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- European Commission
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Environment Agency
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Knox JW & Weatherhead K. (2024). Catchment-Scale Challenges for Water Resources Management: Assessing ‘Reasonable’ Peak Needs for Irrigated Agriculture in a Humid Climate. Hydrology, 11(3)
- Kamwamba-Mtethiwa J, Wiyo K, Knox J & Weatherhead K. (2021). Diffusion of small-scale pumped irrigation technologies and their association with farmer-led irrigation development in Malawi. Water International, 46(3)
- Kamwamba‐Mtethiwa J, Weatherhead K & Knox J. (2016). Assessing Performance of Small‐Scale Pumped Irrigation Systems in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from a Systematic Review. Irrigation and Drainage, 65(3)
- El Chami D, Knox JW, Daccache A & Weatherhead EK. (2015). The economics of irrigating wheat in a humid climate – A study in the East of England. Agricultural Systems, 133
- Watts G, Battarbee RW, Bloomfield JP, Crossman J, Daccache A, .... (2015). Climate change and water in the UK – past changes and future prospects. Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, 39(1)
- Weatherhead K, Knox J, Hess T & Daccache A. (2015). Exploring Irrigation Futures. Outlook on Agriculture, 44(2)
- Henriques C, Garnett K, Weatherhead EK, Lickorish FA, Forrow D, .... (2015). The future water environment — Using scenarios to explore the significant water management challenges in England and Wales to 2050. Science of The Total Environment, 512-513
- Shamal SAM & Weatherhead K. (2014). Assessing Spectral Similarities between Rainfed and Irrigated Croplands in a Humid Environment for Irrigated Land Mapping. Outlook on Agriculture, 43(2)
- Monaghan JM, Daccache A, Vickers LH, Hess TM, Weatherhead EK, .... (2013). More ‘crop per drop’: constraints and opportunities for precision irrigation in European agriculture. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 93(5)
- Daccache A, Weatherhead K & Lamaddalena N. (2010). Climate Change and the Performance of Pressurized Irrigation Water Distribution Networks under Mediterranean Conditions. Outlook on Agriculture, 39(4)
- Tompkins EL, Adger WN, Boyd E, Nicholson-Cole S, Weatherhead K, .... (2010). Observed adaptation to climate change: UK evidence of transition to a well-adapting society. Global Environmental Change, 20(4)
- Knox J, Weatherhead K, Díaz JR & Kay M. (2009). Developing a Strategy to Improve Irrigation Efficiency in a Temperate Climate. Outlook on Agriculture, 38(4)
- Knox JW, Weatherhead K & Ioris AAR. (2007). Assessing Water Requirements for Irrigated Agriculture in Scotland. Water International, 32(1)
- Kulecho IK & Weatherhead K. (2006). I Ssues of Irrigation of Horticultural Crops by Smallholder Farmers in Kenya. Irrigation and Drainage Systems, 20(2-3)
Conference Papers
- Shamal SAM, Weatherhead EK & Knox JW. (2008). Difficulties in using spectral properties to map irrigated areas in a temperate climate: A case study of potatoes in England
- Knox JW, Rodriguez-Diaz JA, Weatherhead EK & Marmol JP. (2006). Using water auditing to assess irrigation efficiency: a comparative assessment of trickle, sprinkler and rain-guns on potatoes in Scotland
- Rodriguez-Diaz JA, Knox JW & Weatherhead EK. (2006). Demanda de agua de riego para campos de golf
- Knox JW & Weatherhead EK. (2005). Using water auditing to assess irrigation efficiency: a comparative assessment of trickle, sprinkler and rain-guns for potato production in the UK
- de Vries TT & Weatherhead EK. (2005). Adapting to Irrigation Water Scarcity due to Climate Changes in Eastern England
- Morris J, Vasileiou K, Weatherhead EK, Knox JW & Leiva-Baron F. (2003). The sustainability of irrigation in England and the impact of water pricing and regulation policy options
- Weatherhead EK. (2002). Irrigation water resources in the UK - the way forward.
- Knox JW, Weatherhead EK & Hess TM. (2001). Integrating spatial data, GIS and a computer model to improve the management and planning of water resources for irrigated agriculture in England and Wales
- Twite CL, Morris J, Weatherhead EK & Knox JW. (2001). Agricultura de regadýo en el Reino Unido e implicaciones de la directiva marco de agua
- Weatherhead EK. (1999). Making the most of an essential resource
- Carter R, Kay M & Weatherhead K. (1999). Water losses in smallholder irrigation schemes
- Grose DJ, Parkin CS & Weatherhead EK. (1998). Modelling a multi-phase plume in a cross-flow - an agricultural application
- Weatherhead EK. (1996). Theory and practice in water allocation
- DeSilva CS & Weatherhead EK. (1994). The use of large diameter wells for supplementary irrigation in the dry zone of Sri Lanka
- Kanber R, Onder S, Koksal H & Weatherhead EK. (1994). Comparison of surge and continuous furrow methods in GAP (Southeastern Anatolia Project) area.
- Afzal J & Weatherhead EK. (1991). Optimising the alternative use of different quality waters for irrigation
- Weatherhead EK, Hipperson KR & Musa SM. (1989). The potential for developing hosereel raingun irrigators
- Weatherhead EK. (1988). Distribution of water from hosereel irrigators
Books
- Morris J, Ahodo K, Weatherhead EK, Daccache A & Knox JW. (2014). Economics of rainfed and irrigated potato production in a humid environment. Economics of Water Management in Agriculture In Bournaris T, Berbel J, Manos B & Viaggi D (eds), Economics of Water Management in Agriculture. CRC Press.
- Hess T, Knox J, Kay M & Weatherhead K. (2010). Managing the Water Footprint of Irrigated Food Production in England and Wales In Hester RE & Harrison RM (eds), Sustainable Water (1st). The Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Knox JW, Shamal SAM, Weatherhead EK & Rodriguez-Diaz JA. (2009). The challenges of mapping irrigated areas in a temperate climate: experiences from England. In Thenkabail PS, Lyon JG, Turral H & Biradar CM (eds), Remote Sensing of Global Croplands for Food Security. CRC Press.
- Díaz JAR, Weatherhead EK, Knox JW & Camacho E. (2009). Consequences of climate change on irrigation water requirements in Southern Spain In Angel Utset (ed.), Climate Variability, Modeling Tools and Agricultural Decision-Making. Nova Science Publishers, Inc..
