The Water Framework Directive and the catchment based approach in your area

Teresa Brown Catchment Co-ordinator For the Upper and Bedford Ouse, Old Bedford and Middle Level

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The Water Framework Directive

Member states must plan and deliver a better water environment with a focus on:

Ecology

Chemical standards

And protect all parts of the water environment:

Groundwater, rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters

Six yearly planning cycles 2009, 2015, 2021 and 2027.

Brings together or replaces several other EU Directives. Habitats Directive site objectives can over-ride WFD.

Prevent deterioration and improve the water environment, including ground water

Promote sustainable water use

Reduce pollution

Help reduce the effects of floods and droughts

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Water Framework Directive - key objectives

Classification

Nationally defined for 2009 baseline (Cycle 1) Waterbody areas

Type – river, lake, canal, transitional & coastal, groundwater

Artificial or heavily modified

Status – based on data from three preceding years – 2006, 2007, 2008

• Surface water – high, good, moderate, poor bad

• Groundwater – good, bad

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Defra’s 100 Management Catchments for England and Wales

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The Catchment Based

Approach

Your local management catchment

7 Cam & Ely Ouse

8 Cherwell

9 Colne

45 Nene

55 Old Bedford Inc Middle Level

77 Thame & South Chilterns

82 Upper & Bedford Ouse

84 Upper Lee

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County and Unitary Authorities

Management catchments

Both

Some typical pressures

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some farming practices

surface water sewer

abuse Invasive signal

crayfish

Phosphate from treated

sewage discharges

invasive Himalayan

balsam

Invasive fish species nutrient runoff

surface water sewer abuse

Poor morphology

Amenity Use of

pesticides

Low flow / over abstraction

Barrier to fish passage

What are the main issues? Everywhere:

Rising demand for water resources – ground and surface water

Point source discharges - treated sewage effluent – phosphate

Man-made structures and modifications – for flood defence, land drainage,

navigation , water supply, amenity

Rural areas: Diffuse pollution from agriculture:

• Soil - sediment / phosphates / nitrates / pesticides – drinking water

Straight, over deep and wide channels

Urban areas: Diffuse pollution - poor quality surface water runoff, misconnections

Concrete channels, culverts

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What you can do to help ‘Water friendly’ farming

Reduce water use - store / conserve where you can

Provide and manage features for water dependent wildlife

Keep soil on the field – follow good practice

Install and use ‘sustainable drainage’ features and techniques

Exemplary nutrient planning and application

Exemplary crop protection procedures

Keep livestock out of water

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Keep soil in your field

Fords & tracks near

water

Silt traps Keep livestock out of

water

Catchment Partnerships

Upper and Bedford Ouse – 5 sub-catchment partnerships

Ivel : Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity

Bedfordshire Ouzel : The Greensand Trust

Bedford & Marston Vale : The Marston Vale Trust

Great Ouse & Ouzel, Milton Keynes : Milton Keynes Parks Trust

Lower Ouse : Great Ouse Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Upper Lee - 2 sub-catchment partnerships Urban Luton and Hoo Lakes : Hertfordshire Groundwork Trust and Cranfield University

Upper Lea (Hertfordshire) : Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

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Catchment Partnerships

Colne - whole catchment Groundwork South & Chilterns Chalk Stream Project

Cherwell – whole catchment Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Thame and South Chilterns – 2 sub-catchments River Thame : Pond Conservation, the Water Habitats Trust & R Thame Conservation Trust

Pang, Hughenden, Wye & Lower Middle Thames : Foundation for water Research

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The Pontbren Farmers Group

Summary

In your area:

Get involved with your local catchment

partnership, CSF, FAS

Work together with your ‘land management’

neighbours

Make a difference: manage soil, land and

water sustainably

Protect your resources and safeguard your

business

Key Actions: our key messages

in one place