First commenced in 1992, Cranfield University's 'Catchment Information System' (CatchIS) aims to provide a toolkit to support and facilitate water resource managers and planners seeking to understand catchment-scale processes and risks. CatchIS is designed to inform those seeking to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and those undertaking Water Safetey Plans.

Scientists in Cranfield's Centre for Environmental & Agricultural Informatics (CEAI) have developed an environmental software suite called CatchIS, aimed to assist water resource managers in England and Wales make informative strategic and operational business decisions for cost-effective resource management and investment planning. With dense populations and competing land uses, the interaction of land and water is increasingly important and the ability to manage these complex relationships at the river catchment level is a key aim. This is especially apparent given the requirements of legislative drivers such as the Water Framework Directive, and the need for Water Safetey Plans.

Cranfield University's CSAI scientists have teamed with ADAS UK Ltd. to provide, in CatchIS, a comprehensive environmental risk modelling tool focussing on predicting the impact (fate and behaviour) of diffuse pesticide usage on ground and surface waters, giving an accurate statement of the likely future conditions in the catchment. Predictive catchment data on pesticide usage linked to landuse and cropping is provided seasonally in autumn and spring to cover the main application periods. These datasets are passed to a suite of simulation models that combine Cranfield's expertise of the fate and behaviour of pesticide compounds in the soil with unique soil, climatological and related environmental datasets detailing catchment conditions. Of particular use to those seeking to manage and forecast the quality of the catchment water resource, CatchIS provides a series of comprehensive mapped and tabular statistical reporting tools.