ADAS Consulting Ltd A directory of activity to reduce diffuse water pollution from agriculture in priority catchments FINAL Revised 27/05/05 R. Humphrey, C. Procter, P. Kay and M. Shepherd ADAS Gleadthorpe Meden Vale Mansfield Nottingham NG20 9PF Executive Summary The intensification of agricultural production over recent decades has been characterised by increasing inputs, including agrochemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides. A consequence of this has been the movement of these chemicals to surface water bodies in runoff. Diffuse sources are becoming increasingly dominant in terms of environmental effects as point sources, such as sewage discharges, are being better managed to reduce pollution. Subsequent impacts of diffuse pollution have been investigated, and effects on ecological status have been observed in some instances. For example, English Nature has recently identified105 conservation sites throughout England that they assessed as being degraded by receiving pollutants from agriculture. Combating diffuse pollution from agriculture is one of Defra’s key priorities and actions will be necessary to meet the demands of the Water Framework Directive, which requires that ‘good ecological quality’ be achieved in water bodies. To address diffuse pollution, Defra has launched it’s Catchment Sensitive Farming initiative. The project reported here is in support of this initiative. The aim was to establish what support activities are in place in selected catchments to engage with land managers with the aim of finding solutions to diffuse pollution. Examples include farmer groups and demonstration projects. The emphasis is on the engagement process, rather than the technical measures to decrease pollution. Investigations focused on the 105 priority sites identified by English Nature. Many farmers had been involved in engagement processes at the time their particular catchment was designated as a conservation site. In most cases, however, any involvement in decision making has since lapsed. The general impression gained during research for this report is that even in catchments where there is a lot of DWPA activity taking place, it is often disparate. There may be a number of active organisations working with farmers, but they are not necessarily aware that each other exists. A cohesive, catchment-wide, approach is desirable if we are to meet future targets for management of diffuse pollution issues. Whilst some areas of the country had a fairly extensive amount of DWPA activity, for example Northumberland in the North East, Herefordshire in the West Midlands and the South West in general, other areas had virtually none at all, for example many parts of the Eastern region. However, it is important to note that the investigation was pinpointed specifically at the 105 individual priority sites (as identified by English Nature). Many sites are small and it is possible that activity would not be initiated for these alone, as they may not attract so much interest and resources, although wider catchment initiatives may result in benefits for them. In some cases the sites were particularly small and hence have been grouped together. In carrying out this work, it has become evident that co-ordination of activities to reduce DWPA is very limited. Whilst every effort has been made to identify all the activity that is taking place, it should be stressed that this lack of co-ordination may mean that some projects have been missed. It is hoped that the body of knowledge on DWPA activity will continue to grow as more projects relevant to Catchment Sensitive Farming begin. The development of the CSF website in support of this research will enable any projects that have not been identified, and those starting up, to be registered. The website will provide a dynamic resource to be used both to inform policy decisions and facilitate better communication between key stakeholder groups. A summary of those projects identified in the current study is provided below. 1 A summary of DWPA activity in priority catchments Region County Site name Level of Key stakeholders Example projects activity North East Northumbria Tweed Catchment Rivers High FWAG, EA, NNTA, Northumbrian Rivers Project, River Coquet & Coquet Valley Woodlands Medium Tweed Forum, ADAS, Coquet Catchment Pesticides Lindisfarne Low Northumbrian Water Study, EA LINK Teesmouth & Cleveland Coast Medium Yorkshire Hornsea Mere Low EN, EA, FWAG Lower Derwent Project River Derwent Low Yorkshire Wildlife Trust North West Cumbria Bassenthwai te Lake Medium LDSWP, CEH, EA, EN, Biglands Bog Low FBA, LDNPA, NT, FC, Cliburn Moss N/A RDS, RSPB Cumwhitton Moss N/A Moorthwaite Moss N/A Newton Reigny Moss N/A River Derwent & Tributaries Medium Temple Sowerby Moss Low Lancashire Hawes Water Low EA, FWAG, MBC Mersey Basin Campaign Leighton Moss Low ICREW East Midlands Derbyshire Cressbrook Dale Medium EN, FWAG, PDNPA, EA Vision Project Dove Valley & Biggin Dale Low Lathkill Dale Low Leicestershire Bla ckbrook Reservoir Low EA, EN, FWAG, NFU, Bradgate Park & Cropston Reservoir Low Leicestershire & Rutland Buddon Wood & Swithland Reservoir Low Wildlife Trust River Eye High River Mease High Lincolnshire Hatfield Chase Ditches Medium FW AG, NFU, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust West Midlands Herefordshire River Lugg High FWAG, EN, ADAS, PSYCHIC, Wye Grazers Project, River Wye High Reading University, WYECARE River Teme Low CEH, EA, NFU Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Shropshire Clarepool Moss Low EA, EN NUPHAR Fenemere Low 2 Region County Site name Level of Key stakeholders Example projects activity Fenn’s, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wem & Low Marton Pool N/A Sweat Mere & Crose Mere Lo w Staffordshire Aqualate Mere N/A EA, EN NUPHAR Betley Mere N/A Black Firs & Cranberry Bog N/A Cop Mere N/A Warwickshire Birches Barn Meadow N/A EN River Blythe Low East Bedfordshire Flitwick Moor Medium BWT, GT, BCV Cambridg e Ouse Washes Medium EA, EN, Cam Forum, Cam Sustainable Farming NFU, RDS, BAWAG Project Essex Abberton Reservoir Low Essex Wildlife Trust, Blackwater Estuary Low Stour & Orwell Estuaries Colne Estuary N/A Management Group, EN Crouch & Roach Estuaries N/A Hamford Water N/A Hanningfield Reservoir N/A Stour Estuary N/A Hunsdon Mead Low Norfolk Muckfleet Catchment Low EA, EN, NFU, RDS, River Ant Catchment Low BAWAG, Norfolk River Bure Catchment High Wildlife Trust River Thurne catchment Low River Waveney catchment High River Wensum catchment High River Yare Catchment High Suffolk Alde -Ore Estuary N/A Suffolk Estuaries Deben Initiative, Little Ouse Bamby Broad Low Management Group, Headwaters Project Benacre to Eastern Bavents N/A RSPB, FWAG, Bio Blo’ Norton & Thelnetham Fen Low Norton Fen Conservation Chippenham Fen Low Group Deben Estuary Low Halvergate Marshes Low Minsmere -Walberswick Heaths and N/A 3 Region County Site name Level of Key stakeholders Example projects activity Orwell Estuary Medium Redgrave & Lopham Fens Low Sprat’s Water & Marshes N/A Water End Swallow Holes N/A Weston Fen N/A South East Kent River Beult Medium EA, EN, FWAG Promoting Good Farm Practice Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge marshes N/A The Swale N/A Walland Marsh N/A Sussex Chichester Harbour Medium FWAG, EA, NFU WILDCRU Combe Haven Low Oxford University Pevensey Levels Low Oxon, Berks, Cothill Fen N/A FWAG, EA, ADAS, NFU, LANDCARE Wilts & Hants River Avon System High Wildlife Trusts, PSYCHIC River Itchen High Hampshire County, LANDWISE River Kennet High Wessex Water Wessex Water Biodiversity River L ambourn Medium River Test High River Till Medium Stanford End Mill & River Loddon Low South West Somerset Bridgwater Bay (Pawlett Hams) Low North Devon & Somerset North Somerset Levels & Moors North Somerset Moors Medium Coastal Group , RSPB, Project Somerset Levels & Moors High FWAG, Avon Wildlife Trust, NT Devon Erme Estuary Medium Westcountry Rivers Trust Life into Landscape Exe Estuary Medium FWAG Slapton Cycleau Project River Axe Medium Axe & Char Enhancement Salombe to Kingsbridge Estuary Low Project Slapton Ley Medium Stover Park N/A Yealm Estuary N/A Dorset Chesil and The Fleet Medium FWAG, EA, EN Fleet Hinterland Project Frome St Quintin Low LOCAR Poole Harbour N/A Rempstone H eaths N/A 4 Region County Site name Level of Key stakeholders Example projects activity River Frome Medium Studland & Godlingston Heaths Low Toller Porcorum N/A Cornwall Fal & Helford High Westcountry Rivers Trust Cornwall Rivers Trust Loe Pool Medium Cornwall Rivers Trust Fal & Helford Cycleau Project River Camel Medium FWAG, National Trust Tamar -Tavy Estuary Medium NA: No DWPA activity 5 Contents 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................8 2 AIM AND OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................10 3 METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................................11 3.1 GENERAL APPROACH ....................................................................................................11 3.2 DETAILED METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................11 3.2.1 Stage 1 – Characterisation of location, land-use and hydrology ..........................11 3.2.2 Stage 2 – Identification of farmer activity and conservation projects...................11 4 CHARACTERISATION OF CATCHMENTS...............................................................13 4.1 THE NORTH EAST REGION ............................................................................................13