Water Resource in the Wye Catchment
Our climate is changing, our population is growing, and as a nation we want an improved environment and resilient water supplies. Action is required now to meet these objectives, as the scale of these challenges increases with time. By 2050 we face a shortfall of approximately 4,000 million litres of water per day between the water supplies available and the expected demand.
Water companies and regional water resource groups have produced draft regional water resources management plans to address this gap. The latest plans mark a key moment in how England’s water resources are secured and are a critical step to ensuring that we have secure and sustainable water supplies that protect and enhance the environment.
These plans cross water company boundaries and work with other sectors to ensure the best solutions to securing future water supplies and environmental resilience.
The government’s Plan for Water(External link) sets out the best way to manage supply pressures by taking an integrated approach across the whole catchment. We expect water companies and regional groups to play a key role to align in the development and delivery of this approach in the future.
Water companies have a duty to produce Water resources management plans (WRMPs) every 5 years which set out how they will continue to supply water over at least the next 25 years in their supply area.
Check out 'Our regional plan at Water West(External link)'
More information on Water company plans and regulation can be found on our ‘Water regulation’ page.
How do agricultural practices affect water resources?
Changes in farming practices, including shifts in land use, the introduction of new crops, and livestock management has resulted in an increase in farming of arable crops, such as potatoes and maize, for human consumption and animal feed. This can impact the water system in the following ways:
Water Usage: Irrigation is common practice in farming and excessive or inefficient irrigation can lead to water wastage, which may contribute to the depletion of local water resources.
Runoff: Irrigation water that is not absorbed by the soil can lead to surface runoff, carrying with it soil particles and nutrients into nearby waterbodies. If not managed properly, these nutrients can leach into groundwater or be carried by runoff into rivers and streams, causing pollution.
Soil Erosion: Arable farming practices, especially if not accompanied by proper soil conservation measures, can contribute to soil erosion. Eroded soil, can be transported into water bodies, leading to sedimentation and poor water quality.
Image: Soil run off from farm land
See the ‘agricultural regulation’ page to find out more.
How does climate change affect water resource?
Climate change can impact the catchments landscape through alterations in temperature, precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. These changes may influence vegetation types, overall resilience of ecosystems and water quality and availability. More extreme weather events, such as drought and flood lead to reduced water availability for crops, stressed and reduced yields, and more water required to irrigate. This can worsen issues relating to soil run-off during intense storms, difficulty achieving cover crops, and practical challenge of lifting crops and preparing seed beds. Climate change is increasingly putting pressure on cropping plans and what would have been regarded as traditional agricultural practices within the catchment.
Everyone needs to prepare for climate change, which could include preparing drought management plans, land use changes to support river flows and quality, water storage solutions or trading options(External link).
Read about: How the EA uses data to protect our water resources in a changing climate(External link)
Image: Lost crop to heavy rainfallBuilding water resilience
Rainwater harvesting is an efficient way to source water, which can be collected from roofs and other above ground surfaces, through a system of above ground pipes and tanks. The water is collected before it has entered any lakes, rivers, or underground water sources.
Rainwater harvesting can help farms to make cost savings as well as build water resilience.
Watch the video below on how a farmer benefited from rainwater harvesting investment.
Below are some useful links:
12 Tips for farmers to save water(External link) (External link)
Meeting our future needs: a national framework for water resources(External link)
Reservoirs can provide security and flexibility by helping to find a balance between water supply and demand. Water can be abstracted when it is available and stored for the times when its needed.
Read this blog by the Countrywide Land Association about reservoirs(External link)
The UK Irrigation Association(External link) aims to promote interest and a better understanding of all aspects of irrigation in the UK. They collect, exchange and share practical information on irrigation, water, drought, and climate change, increasing knowledge and competence in irrigation design, installation & management.
Below are links to leaflets and guidance that contain useful information:
Thinking about an irrigation reservoir(External link)
Reservoirs: owner and operator requirements(External link)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trade-water-abstraction-rights(External link)
How does urbanisation and growing population affect water resource?
An increasing population and the expansion of towns and villages puts a higher demand on the need for clean water for public supply, and therefore the need for more abstractions by water companies.
Farmers need to produce more to meet higher demands, and therefore need to abstract more water to feed crops and livestock.
Managing water in the catchment
The EA and their partners continue to make efforts to conserve and restore natural habitats within the catchment, including projects focused on habitat restoration and biodiversity conservation. The following interventions help us to manage water more effectively and restore ecological health:
Planting trees along riverbanks and in the surrounding catchment area helps stabilise soil, reduce surface runoff, and increase water absorption, allowing more water to stay in the river and in the soils. Trees also provide a natural barrier that can slow down floodwater and help reduce soil runoff.
Maintaining and restoring riparian zones (the areas along rivers and streams). Planting vegetation in these areas can act as a buffer, absorbing excess water and preventing bank erosion.
Restoring and creating wetlands can help store excess water during periods of heavy rainfall. Wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing and slowly releasing water.
Rehabilitating degraded riverbanks and preventing further erosion helps maintain the natural flow of rivers. This can involve using natural materials, such as logs and vegetation, to stabilise banks.
Promoting farming and land management practices that reduce soil erosion, such as cover cropping and contour ploughing, helps soil health and increases water absorption, reducing runoff.
Constructing small storage ponds in the upper reaches of a catchment can help retain water during heavy rainfall. This can reduce the volume and speed of water entering the main river channels.
Engaging with partners through our partnership projects. You can find out more about these on our ‘working together’ page
The EA regulate water abstraction and water companies within England, working closely with NRW for Wales. You can find out more about how we regulate water on our ‘water regulation’ page.
The Water Framework Directive
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a European directive which aims to establish a framework for the protection and sustainable use of water resources and improve the water environment at a catchment level. They set specific criteria and standards for classifying water bodies into various categories, which include High, Good, Moderate, Poor and Bad status. Waterbodies are classified according to their water quality status, biological elements, and hydro morphology (the physical features of the environment that holds the water in place).
The WFD state that the minimum condition a healthy watercourse should be is Good. However, in 2015, 73% of the Wye catchment was only achieving Moderate, Poor or Bad status.
The WFD influences the EA’s work by requiring us to do the following:
Development River Basin Management Plans (RBMP’s): These outline the measures and actions that need to be taken to achieve good water status in a particular river basin. The EA plays a key role in the development of these plans, working with stakeholders to address water quality issues.
Water Quality Monitoring: The directive mandates regular monitoring of water bodies to assess their ecological and chemical status. The EA is responsible for collecting and analysing data to evaluate the quality of rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
Implementation of Measures: If water quality is found to be below the required standards, the EA is responsible for putting measures in place, outlined in the RBMPs. These can include changes in land use practices, improvements in wastewater treatment, and habitat restoration. The agency works to ensure that the necessary actions are taken to achieve and maintain good water quality.
Water Resource Activity: From 1 January 2018 the Water Resources (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2017 removed most exemptions from abstraction licensing control. This means that most previously exempt abstractors, abstracting more than 20 cubic metres per day, were required to apply for an abstraction licence (New Authorisation) from the EA, to continue to lawfully abstract water.
More information on the WFD can be found at Water Framework Directive (europa.eu)(External link)
Visit our ‘Water Regulation’ page to find out how we manage water in the catchment.