WFD and Upland management:a regulatory perspective

Harriet OrrResearch Expert, Climate Change, Evidence Directorate9th May 2012

Input from: Robert Brotherton, Zoe Frogbrook, Stacey Roe, Kate Gamble, Simon Hildon

Introduction

Good Ecological Status: reasons for failure

Pressures, impacts and measures

How we’re addressing issues and evidence gaps

Reasons for Failure

Water BodyFailures due toagriculture and landmanagementNorthern England

Wales Reasons For WFD Failures - Wales19%

16%

11%

10%

7%

7%

7%

7%

4%

3%

2%

2%

1%

1%

3%Unknown (investigation to be completed)

Agricultural pollution

Artificial barriers to fish migration

Abandoned mines and contaminated land

Forestry

Acidification

Sewage discharges

Impoundments

Flood protection & land drainage

Urban & transport development

Surface water abstraction

Natural conditions

Industrial discharges

Septic tanks

Other

Reasons for Failure Wales

Agricultural Pollution132 of Wales’ water bodies (16% of failures) fail Good Status because ofpollution from agricultural activities

Abandoned mines & contaminated land84 of Wales’ water bodies (10% of failures) fail Good Status because ofdiffuse and point source pollution from abandoned mines andcontaminated land

Reasons for Failure

Forestry60 of Wales’ water bodies (7% of failures) fail Good Status because offorestry activities

This may drop to around 20 with further investigations

Map of surface waterfailures for forestry

Reasons for Failure Wales

Acidification in Wales59 water bodies (7% of failures) fail Good Status because of the depositionof acidifying pollutants from combustion on sensitive environments.

Map of surface waterfailures due to acidification

Upland issues

Failures due to upland condition are few

Looking for cost effective multiple benefits from measures

Holistic approach in uplands e.g. riparian management toreduce sediment and nutrient delivery

Evidence gaps for pressure/impacts

Risks of deterioration

Efficacy of measures

Value for money of measures esp. sediment/morphology

lag time between implementation and ecological recovery.

Existing mechanisms

Voluntary agreements e.g. safeguard zones for drinkingwater

Pilot studies: learning by doingNE, moorland condition and fish (non SSSI) 13 water bodies to beimproved through moorland restoration (> 900 water bodies in theregion)

Effectiveness of catchment sensitive farming methods

“Taking a quality rather than quantity approach”

Implementing measures: Safeguard zones

Drinking Water Protected Areas for water supply – designated in WFD

DrWPAs provide safe drinking water (Drinking Water Directive)

Protected from deterioration in quality (reduce treatment)

Key variables colour, pesticides, algae and nitrate.

In England, DrWPAs protected through defining Safeguard Zones.

Voluntary Safeguard Zone Action Plans – to focus actions.

Safeguard Zone action plan can link PR09/PR14 programmes.

Drinking Water Protected Areas at risk of failure due tocolour

25 DrWPAs at risk in NW feeding into10 Safeguard Zone action plans

18 DrWPAs at risk inYorkshire & NorthEast Region, feeding into 5 Safe guardZone action plans

WPZ/product restrictions

CoGAP/cross compliance/NVZs/CFE

Safeguard zones

WaterCompanycatchmentschemes

WPZ/product restrictions

CoGAP/cross compliance/NVZs/CFE

Safeguard zones

WaterCompanycatchmentschemes

Significant Water Management Issues

Addressing national scale issues in post 2015

Consultation: opportunity to raise issues

Inform evidence development

Conclusions

Upland condition not big reason for failure

Future deterioration unclear (incl peat)

Evidence about measures needed

Channel issues/evidence through SWMIand UHG

Improving the evidence base “learning from doing”