Issue 5 October 2004 Catchment Matters

The newsletter from the Parrett Catchment Project

Inside this issue: Communication matters

Lobby group consultations - 2 Welcome to Issue 5 of Catchment Matters from the Parrett Catchment Project (PCP), the quar- where does PCP stand? terly bulletin for members, supporters and everyone who wants to hear about the work under- Parrett sluice news 2 way in the Parrett catchment to reduce flood risk and bring water levels under control. Also, out now is Issue 2 of Catchment Matters: Farming Edition, available from the PCP office or website. 2 PCP welcomes a new partner

Flood retention 3 Sharing information between members is a key benefit of partnership working, but it’s something demonstrations update that in practice is not so easily achieved. To assist we are developing the PCP website: www. parrettcatchment.info as an information source, where members can submit and access useful 4 Modelling the catchment information, progress updates, PCP policy responses and technical information. A Presentation Are we communicating ? 4 CD is also available from the PCP office. Updated quarterly this assists partners in explaining the whys and wherefores of the Parrett Catchment Project within your organisations and/or to Flood facts 4 external groups.

Rising to our next challenge

With the JAF ‘Farming Water’ projects well socio-economic change from the Agri- underway the PCP partnership's attention is environment reforms, it has become clear that now turning towards strategy component no. 4: the restoration of natural wetland ecosystems Creation and enhancement of wetland habitats, is vital for the protection of our environment and with very good reason. and also for the benefit of local livelihoods.

Although listed in PCP’s action strategy as a PCP believes the wetland ecosystem must play mid to long-term action, pressures from UK a central role in the social and economic devel- government and Europe, together with global opment of the Parrett catchment. The EU 45% of our SSSI’s on the climate uncertainty, are requiring an urgent fo- Directives and subsequent UK policy will drive Levels are in ‘favourable condition’. cussing of minds and effort towards the Somer- forward the restoration of wetland ecosystems set Levels and Moors. In short these are: on the Levels and Moors, and integrate the way in which our rivers, wetlands and coastal 1. The socio-economic changes that will ecosystems are managed. inevitably result from the reform of the Agri-environment scheme and other PCP will assess what is required to ensure support mechanisms; thriving ‘wider wetlands’ for the long term. Partners will help to achieve favourable condi- 2. The government target to achieve 95% of tions through the delivery of the PCP action Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSI’s) in strategy and the EA’s Parrett Catchment ‘favourable condition’ by 2010 under the Water Management Strategy Action Plan The demographics of agriculture on the Habitats Directive. At present approxi- (PCWMSAP). Levels has changed dramatically over the mately 45% of the SSSI’s in the Parrett last 13 years. As the number of farms catchment are in ‘favourable condition’. On some moors, the lowering of penning levels have decreased the size of those English Nature and the Environment Agency in watercourses during the winter can result in remaining have increased. © FWAG will receive full support from the PCP in low winter levels detrimental to life in those their work to achieve this standard; wetlands. Such areas have been identified, prioritised and solutions agreed, ready for 3. The need for inland and coastal waters to implementation. be managed on a river basin scale and to reach ‘good status’ by 2015 under the EU Through the PCWMSAP, partners have com- Water Framework Directive. A number of mitted themselves to meet the requirements of sub-catchments in the Parrett catchment the national, regional and local Biodiversity are ‘at risk’ of failing WFD objectives. Action Plan through the development of a wise use concept in the wider wetland landscape of As we face the pressures of global climate the catchment, and the instigation of specific change with the increased risk of flooding, and management actions. Page 2 Catchment Matters

Lobby group consultations

Many of the PCP’s ideas The PCP Lobby Group's mission is to achieve ment-Sensitive Farming Programme: taking for- national and regional policies that will further ward the Strategic review of diffuse water pollu- can be carried out on the delivery of PCP's components by respond- tion from agriculture.) DEFRA invited views on the ground using ing to formal consultations as well as taking the approach and possible measures to improve existing policies and every opportunity to raise the issues in national water quality through catchment-sensitive farm- resources, but there are and regional fora. ing.

policies that need to be On the lobby group's agenda at the moment Formal Consultation on the draft new EU Rural improved or modified to are three key consultation documents: Development Regulation (deadline Nov 12th). help us deliver our The draft new EU Rural Development Regula- objectives. "Making Space for Water" is the consultation tion was published by the European Commis- on a new Government strategy for flood and sion on 15 July 2004. The Regulation forms the coastal erosion risk management in for second pillar of the Common Agricultural Pol- the next twenty years (deadline November). icy. PCP needs to ensure that measures to en- The last national Strategy for Flood and Coastal courage farmers to retain water on their land Defence was published in 1993 and now needs are included in the final version of the Environ- revising. The full consultation document is avail- mental Stewardship scheme. able from www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/ waterspace. For a copy of PCP's responses visit the PCP website. If you would like to join the group Developing measures to promote catchment- please contact Humphrey Temperley at: sensitive farming in England (within the Catch- [email protected] Parrett sluice news

A tidal sluice at Bridgwater has been an aspira- So far the Environment Agency has committed tion for over a century. Many believe it is now £300,000 to completing the feasibility studies the most sustainable option for the future man- by April 2005 and Somerset County Council, agement of the Parrett, by increasing flood dis- Sedgemoor District Council and Taunton charges, maximising flood storage and reducing Deane Borough Council are committed to rais- the need to pump. It would be a more eco- ing £100,000 to look at the wider economic nomical option than raising 30 km of tidal banks benefits of the sluice. These will provide Wes- as sea levels rise. By reducing the flood risk and sex Regional Flood Defence Committee with Stakeholders visiting Dunball to discuss potential issues of a sluice improving the visual appearance of the town, it the information to decide whether to go ahead could transform the economy of Bridgwater. with the project, and apply for national funding.

But, there are a number of serious environ- Meanwhile a local group, the Tidal Sluice Part- mental concerns, and any sluice would have to nership, has been set up to inform the commu- be designed and managed to enhance the nature nity and seek local partnership funding for the conservation interests of the affected moors. scheme. This group brings together the key partners under the chair of Francis Cornish. PCP welcomes new partner The South Somerset Hydropower Group was This is a pilot project for the rest of the coun- formed in 2001 as a group of 10 mill owners try, and already other groups are forming in interested in using historic water mill sites for different areas. When all 10 mill sites are generating electricity. With the aid of grants generating it is hoped to produce over 600,000 from the Energy Saving Trust and South West- kWh per year, enough to power 150 average ern Electricity Board feasibility studies have sized houses. been completed, and the first mill is now gener- ating electricity. The remaining mills are ex- The South Somerset Hydropower Group Gants Mill, - producing their own electricity. pected to start generating in 2005. supports the Parrett Catchment Project in mak- ing best use of all the water resources within Visit their website Within the PCP area the mills involved are the Parrett catchment area. www.gantsmill.co.uk Court and Nimmer mills on the Isle, Carey’s and Thorney mills on the Parrett, and Hinton For more info. about the South Somerset and Hainbury mills on the Yeo. Hydropower Group contact Stephen Bartlett at [email protected] Issue 5 Page 3

Update on PCP’s flood retention demonstrations

With the lengthy and almost imperceptible If you would like to find out more about these phase of negotiations, licences, agreements, demonstration projects e.g. what PCP hopes to tendering and contracts completed on three of achieve through them or the project manage- the ‘Farming Water’ demonstrations we are ment or engineering aspects do contact us. pleased to be able to report that the exciting phase of ground works has now commenced. Dan Alsop the project engineer is also happy to lead site visits and conduct presentations for In this article we are reporting on two of the groups. All the parish councils affected by these schemes that are now underway. schemes have been offered this service.

Bower Hinton Scheme

The c. £37,000 scheme at Bower Hinton outlet pipe embankment construction Farm, Martock, commenced on 7th Septem- ber 2004. The following 7 days (including 3 days of torrential downpours) saw the contractor (JTT of Exeter), complete scrub clearance and topsoil stripping, dig 60% of the pond, lay the outlet pipe and begin “Farming at Bower Hinton construction of the embankments (see all my life I have often photos 1 & 2). thought how the depth of flood on the moors would be The pond will be excavated lower than Photo 1. Bower Hinton Farm - view of work, main pond con- lessened if floodwater could shown in the photos so that it lies well below structed, laying pipes and building banks (14 Sept 2004) be held back here by a dam the normal water table. This will ensure and released in a controlled permanent water where reed beds will way over a few days.” provide valuable wetland habitat. The 0.4 ha. silt trap Oct 2002 multi-purpose flood attenuation pond is not linked directly to a stream but will be fed by I am delighted that this idea surface water runoff from a catchment area has now come to fruition. To of approx. 7 ha. The runoff will be diverted see the ground work at into the pond inlet via the silt trap (photo 2). Bower Hinton underway, and The pond outlet feeds water into the River Parrett. This outlet (photo 1) will stay open progressing as quickly as it most of the year but upon receiving a flood is, I am sure we will be up warning from the Environment Agency the and running this winter.” farmer will close the outlet, which will Sept 2004 remain closed until the flood peak in the Photo 2. Bower Hinton Farm - main pond holding recent rain; Patrick Palmer (Farmer & River Parrett has passed. silt trap in foreground (14th Sept 2004) SSDC District Councillor) Creedy Bridge Scheme

Upstream from Bower Hinton at Creedy Bridge the contractor (SWC of Bristol) has nearly completed scrub clearance and topsoil ‘scalping’ of a 2KM long strip along the River Parrett in preparation for construction of low level (2ft. high) embankments.

These banks do not intend to keep flood wa- ter out but will be low enough to enable overtopping by floodwater which will then be trapped within a retention area. Approx. 15,000 cu metres of flood water will be able to be held within these banks. This water will Photo 3. Creedy Bridge - Digger scraping the turf and topsoil in preparation for building the low retention banks along the be released via a hand operated weir once Parrett. Ham Hill in far distance (14 Sept 2004) . the flood peak has passed. Modelling the Parrett catchment This study aims to aid better river basin man- Initial spatial analysis was carried out using a agement in the context of the EU Water Geographic Information System (ArcGISTM) for Framework Directive through understanding delineating the flood prone areas based on ele- the effect of surface heterogeneity (diversity of vation, slope and land use to contribute under- topography) such as floodplain, wetland and standing the spatial diversity of the Parrett hillside in the hydrologic process within the catchment. Parrett catchment. Prof. Ian Cluckie (Chair of the Flood This study forms part of Flood Risk Manage- Risk Management Consortium) and In order to reflect a wide variety of characteris- ment Research Consortium, which was Jongsook Park (Water & Environ- mental Management Research tics of rivers, land cover, land use and precipita- launched in March 2004 and which constitutes Centre, Bristol University). tion variation over time, a complex physical the largest research consortium ever commis- distributed hydrologic model (MIKE SHE) has sioned in the UK. been used as a modelling tool, and data includ- Modelling in order to support the Flood Risk ing digital maps, meteorological records and soil Management community is a key focus for the properties obtained from EDINA, Environment Water and Environmental Management Re- Agency, EU Wise Use of Floodplains project search Centre (WEMRC) at the University of and the National Soil Resources Institute have Bristol and longer term plans will encompass been utilised. the whole of the Somerset Levels. Are we communicating?

Are we communicating? In the Stakeholder survey (February 2003) you In response, we reviewed our communications requested more communications in the form of: and overhauled our communications strategy. Please tell us what What we now have is a comprehensive you think. 1) More frequent newsletters; programme of public awareness & communica- 2) Increased, proactive media coverage; tion activities that target specific groups (from

3) Quarterly update through CD-Rom; the River Festival to CD ROM, email bulletins Contact us: 4) Presentations by Chair /senior reps to and media activity), with a dedicated Commu-  01823 355281 Members and interest groups; nications Officer to coordinate all these.  [email protected] 5) Clear Memorandum of Understanding; We believe that the majority of your requests 6) Public statement clarifying PCP’s purpose have been answered. But what we want to and remit; know now is what do you think about: 7) Website development & maintenance; 8) Use of partners journals/newsletters & ? The quality and quantity of communications? joint newsletters; ? Are you getting enough information? 9) Emails rather than snail-mail; ? What would you like more of? 10) Newsflash emails highlighting new info. on ? Who’s missing out? the PCP website. ? How can we improve? ? Can you assist us? Flood facts

Research carried out for the EA by Surrey For anyone interested in the weather condi- University sociologists Jane Fielding and Kate tions that led to the floods in north Cornwall Burningham, who matched the Agency's flood in August and for a look at all the eye-popping plan maps against census data on social class, stats, the Met Office has done an interesting has concluded that deprived areas of England summary on their website. Go to: and Wales are more vulnerable to flooding. www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ Visit: www.newstartmag.co.uk/news686.html interesting/20040816.html

Parrett Catchment Project Environment Department, County Hall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY  01823 355281. Email: [email protected] JAF website: www.JAF.nu PCP website: www.parrettcatchment.info