We use cookies to ensure our site functions properly and to store limited information about your usage. You may give or withdraw consent at any time. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy.
Manage Cookies
A cookie is information stored on your computer by a website you visit. Cookies often store your settings for a website, such as your preferred language or location. This allows the site to present you with information customized to fit your needs. As per the GDPR law, companies need to get your explicit approval to collect your data. Some of these cookies are ‘strictly necessary’ to provide the basic functions of the website and can not be turned off, while others if present, have the option of being turned off. Learn more about our Privacy and Cookie policies. These can be managed also from our cookie policy page.
Strictly necessary cookies(always on):
Necessary for enabling core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. This cannot be turned off. e.g. Sign in, Language
Analytics cookies:
Analytical cookies help us to analyse user behaviour, mainly to see if the users are able to find and act on things that they are looking for. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. Tools used: Google Analytics
Reducing nitrate losses to groundwater through a catchment management scheme
The Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) is a cornerstone of environmental regulation in England, setting out the actions water companies must deliver to meet statutory obligations and contribute to wider environmental goals. AMP7, which covered 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025, represented one of the most ambitious WINEP cycles to date, with over 11,900 actions aimed at improving water quality, protecting biodiversity, and supporting sustainable water resources. The case study below provides an example of one of the completed AMP7 projects.
Through the Environment Agency’s (EA) Nitrogen Efficiency scheme, work has been carried out with farmers in North Hertfordshire to trial measures to reduce nitrate losses to groundwater.
A group of farmers within the Source Protection Zone 2, an area where groundwater is at risk from nitrate contamination were formed into group called 'N Focus Famers Group'. The group is supported by local farmers, Oakbank Game & Conservation and FWAG East (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group). The group has been championing knowledge exchange on soil health to ensure nitrogen fertiliser is utilised by crops as effectively as possible reducing leaching to groundwater and boosting crop production.
The catchment scheme aims to meet the Water Framework Directives (WFD) 'no deterioration' objective for groundwater from nitrate pollution in the North Hertfordshire area. As well as mitigate the impacts of seasonal changes on the amounts of nitrate on groundwater sources. The approach was developed into the Nitrogen Efficiency scheme in 2023. Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme provided top-up funding for farmers. This funded measures such as overwinter cover crops and companion cropping.
Funding was combined with SFI for additional benefits and to promote the uptake of SFI. The farmers group have trialled new approaches such as drilling beans and oats crops together to fix more nitrogen from the atmosphere.
N Focus farmers group meeting on agricultural land
A field of cover crops funded by the scheme
Reducing nitrate losses to groundwater through a catchment management scheme
The Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) is a cornerstone of environmental regulation in England, setting out the actions water companies must deliver to meet statutory obligations and contribute to wider environmental goals. AMP7, which covered 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025, represented one of the most ambitious WINEP cycles to date, with over 11,900 actions aimed at improving water quality, protecting biodiversity, and supporting sustainable water resources. The case study below provides an example of one of the completed AMP7 projects.
Through the Environment Agency’s (EA) Nitrogen Efficiency scheme, work has been carried out with farmers in North Hertfordshire to trial measures to reduce nitrate losses to groundwater.
A group of farmers within the Source Protection Zone 2, an area where groundwater is at risk from nitrate contamination were formed into group called 'N Focus Famers Group'. The group is supported by local farmers, Oakbank Game & Conservation and FWAG East (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group). The group has been championing knowledge exchange on soil health to ensure nitrogen fertiliser is utilised by crops as effectively as possible reducing leaching to groundwater and boosting crop production.
The catchment scheme aims to meet the Water Framework Directives (WFD) 'no deterioration' objective for groundwater from nitrate pollution in the North Hertfordshire area. As well as mitigate the impacts of seasonal changes on the amounts of nitrate on groundwater sources. The approach was developed into the Nitrogen Efficiency scheme in 2023. Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme provided top-up funding for farmers. This funded measures such as overwinter cover crops and companion cropping.
Funding was combined with SFI for additional benefits and to promote the uptake of SFI. The farmers group have trialled new approaches such as drilling beans and oats crops together to fix more nitrogen from the atmosphere.
N Focus farmers group meeting on agricultural land
N Focus farmers group meeting on agricultural land
A field of cover crops funded by the scheme