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River Spey Catchment Management Plan

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River Spey Catchment Management Plan CATCHMENT INITIATIVE River Spey CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN Review 2016 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW 03 River Spey Catchment Contents Acronyms and abbreviations 04 Executive Summary 05 ISSUES Water Quality 06 Control of River Water 08 Fisheries Management 10 Habitats and Species 12 Farming 14 Forestry & Woodland 16 Access & Recreation 18 Community Economic Development 20 Who we are 23 04 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW 05 Acronyms and abbreviations Executive Summary BAP Biodiversity Action Plan PAAS Pike Anglers Alliance for Scotland The River Spey is an iconic river in an unique location, renowned for its purity and natural beauty. It is of national and international importance for its salmon rod fishery, whisky distilling industry BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand PIP Pearls in Peril project and its wildlife. Running through all the main population centres of Badenoch and Strathspey CAR Controlled Activities Regulations 2011 PVA Potential Vulnerable Area and several significant ones within Moray, it provides along with its tributaries, all domestic and industrial water supplies in the catchment and contributes to the Nation’s hydropower generation CEH Centre for Ecology & Hydrology RAFTS Rivers and Fisheries Trusts Scotland output. Nearly half of the Cairngorm National Park lies within the Spey catchment and the river’s CMP Catchment Management Plan RBMP River Basin Management Planning importance to the environment is recognised through its Special Area of Conservation status. CNP Cairngorm Nature Plan RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds In 2003 the Spey Catchment Steering Group produced a Catchment Management Plan to set CNPA Cairngorms National Park Authority RSS Rural Stewardship Scheme out a strategic framework for the wise and sustainable use of the water resource and for the protection and enhancement of water quality and natural heritage. The Plan highlighted the CSO Combined Sewer Overflow SAC Special Area of Conservation priorities for action with an emphasis on partnership working as a delivery mechanism. DMP Deer Management Plan SCA Scottish Canoe Association Much has been achieved since 2003 and it is now timely to take stock of progress to date, review EC/EU European Commission/Union SCI Spey Catchment Initiative priorities for the future and develop a new plan for the Spey that will focus action for the next 5 ESA Environmentally Sensitive Area SCSG Spey Catchment Steering Group years and beyond. This document provides a summary of progress against the original management objectives and actions which were focused under eight issues: Water Quality, Control of River FCS Forestry Commission Scotland SDFB Spey District Fishery Board Water, Fisheries Management, Habitats and Species, Farming, Community Economic Development FES Forest Enterprise Scotland SEPA Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Access & Recreation. The finding from this review will form the basis for the development of a new Catchment Management Plan which will be published in autumn 2016. FRM Flood Risk Management SF Spey Foundation FWAG Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SFCA Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling complete 14% FWPM Fresh Water Pearl Mussel SFCC Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre GBR General Binding Rule SFGS Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme good 42% GTBS Green Tourism Business Scheme SL&E Scottish Land and Estates some 40% GPDO General Permitted Development Order SNH Scottish Natural Heritage none 4% HAP Habitat Action Plan SRDP Scottish Rural Development Programme HC Highland Council SSE Scottish & Southern Energy plc IFM Institute of Fisheries Management SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest Overall progress in delivering the management objectives from the 2003 Spey Catchment Management Plan. JHI James Hutton Institute SUDS Sustainable Urban Drainage System LBAP Local Biodiversity Action Plan SW Scottish Water LDR Long Distance Route SWT Scottish Wildlife Trust The River Spey is in as good a state as it has ever been however there is no room for complacency. Increasing pressures on it as a resource must be tempered with safeguarding its special features MC Moray Council UKTAG UK Technical Advisory Group and its quality. The need to increase resilience to safeguard against the predicted impacts of climate change, particularly the more extreme flood events has never been greater. Legislation such as the MS Marine Scotland WGS Woodland Grant Scheme Water Framework Directive and Flood Risk Act should be seen as opportunities for positive action NFUS National Farmers Union of Scotland WFD Water Framework Directive which can be achieved through cooperation, collaboration and partnership working. NFM Natural Flood Management WTW Water Treatment Works Spey Catchment Initiative Steering Group NVZ Nitrate Vulnerable Zone WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant April 2016 06 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW 07 Water Quality Issues Objectives Progress Summary of progress Maintain the current high • High water quality standards continue to be maintained, although increasing water quality standards in pressures from urban, industrial and agricultural development the River Spey catchment • Ecological standards for FWPM established under the RBMP process. and address local enrichment Tighter phosphate standards introduced in 2013 issues as they occur. • The RBMP process has established new bioavailable environmental quality standards Determine the ecological for metals which is waterbody specific. Sites now assessed against new standards requirements and tolerance • FWPM Eco-toxicological levels established for pollutants Maintain and enhance limits of SAC qualifying • Study into water quality in relation to freshwater pearl mussels between species, particularly sea Grantown and Aviemore undertaken 2014 (SCI, see Cooksley and Blake 2014). water quality within lamprey and FWPM. Further actions recommended the Spey Catchment Improve effluent discharges • Water quality standards required to maintain good ecological status have been where pollution is occurring set by the RBMP. Compliance is reported annually by SEPA and ensure no deterioration • First cycle of River Basin Management Planning (2009 – 15) now complete in ecological status for the • Effluent discharges regularly assessed to ensure good status is maintained FUTURE PRIORITIES: River Spey and tributaries. • WWTP infrastructure new build programme along the Spey; Aviemore (2005), Ensure that WWTP have Grantown on Spey (2008), Newtonmore (2011), Kingussie (2014) & Boat of sufficient capacity to cope Garten (2015) (Scottish Water) • Continue to maintain high water quality with any planned (industrial • SUDS are now a legal requirement for most developments status within the Spey catchment or residential) expansion, • Pearls in Peril EU Life+ project addressing diffuse pollution issues in sensitive prior to approval of any areas (2012-16 SNH led) • Improve water quality in those areas where such proposal. • Monitoring of water quality carried out by SEPA, with improved phosphorus it is failing to meet good ecological status as per monitoring introduced during 2015 requirements of the River Basin Management Plan for the Scotland river basin district Set discharge consents for • Water quality standards are now defined and and set through the RBMP distillery cooling waters. ecological status classification system • Continued awareness raising of statutory and • CAR GBRs introduced (2005) to improve water quality include specific rules to non-statutory diffuse pollution codes of practice Raise awareness of diffuse pollution issues from land address diffuse pollution, pesticides and farm waste management practices and • Ongoing awareness raising of best practice promulgated by multiple organisations • Address diffuse pollution issues through grant provide better support (SEPA, SFB, SNH, SWWI, SCI) scheme funded solutions mechanisms for combating • Farm Waste Management plans now required as part of grant scheme applications the problem. • Publication of “Constructed Farm Wetlands Design manual” by SEPA (2008) • Increased integration between catchment Ensure good ecological status • SUDS schemes required for all new developments is achieved through best • 2015 Agri-environment scheme includes improved incentives to tackle diffuse management plan and RBMP process practice management. pollution issues • “Productive Forestry & Water management” published 2015 (Forest Research) • Deliver actions to meet the RMBP second cycle targets laid down for the River Spey catchment Develop a better • No significant issues oundf following critical load analysis for forests within Moray understanding of the • Forestry Water guidelines published 2011www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs/water • SEPA now review forest plans as part of planning process • Deliver actions to improve water quality in sub implications for water quality and freshwater ecology of • Continued monitoring at Allt a Mharcaidh ECN site contributes to better catchments in respect of increasing pressures forestry management within understanding of forestry and water quality ecological interfaces from industrial and agricultural sources the catchment. Determine the extent of the • Data on contaminated land held by Highland and Moray Council problem of contaminated land and restore any such areas to beneficial use. Progress Key: none some good complete 08 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW 09 Control of River Water Issues Objectives Progress
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