Baseline Assessment of Agricultural and Horticultural Water Use in Kent. Questionnaire results

Transcription

1 Baseline Assessment of Agricultural and Horticultural Water Use in Kent Questionnaire results

2 Overview >100 LeafUK stakeholders were contacted and 56 provided a response >Of the respondents, the business type was mostly farms, with two responses from Garden centres. >Nearly 90% of respondents had been in business more than 15 years >There was very little change in the farm type (i.e. arable, livestock etc.) over time. Page 2

3 Water usage headline figures Water use in the last 12 months (annual figure) Percentage of total respondents Average area used for cultivation or livestock (ha) >60,001m 3 39% ,501-60,000 m 3 34% 694 Less than 7,500m 3 (or less 20% 591 than 20m 3 per day) Not specified 7% n/a Water requiring activities Cleaning equipment, machinery and / or 77% buildings Irrigation 79% Crop spraying 84% Animal drinking 16% Washing down yards 18% Washing produce 14% Lifting / harvesting crops 5% Animal cleaning 4% Milk cooling 2% Other 4% % Respondents that carry out this activity Page 3

4 Darent and Cray North Kent and Swale Total water usage last year 11% 22% 50% n=2 50% Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60,001 n=9 Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60,001 Stour annual water use 67% 17% Medway - Last year's water usage 21% 58% n=12 25% 50% n=14 Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60,001 Rother Water use 29% 25% n = number of responses Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60,001 n=4 75% Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60,001 Page 4

5 Number of businesses Water usage according to business type For each type of business, the graph below shows the of business in each category of water use; less than 7,500m 3, 7,501 60,000m 3 or over 60,000m 3 per year >60, ,501-60, Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) Not specified 2 0 GardenCentre Arable Arable and Horticulture Horticulture Mixed farming Business type Page 5

6 Percentage of responses Percentage water use per business type For each type of business, the graph below shows the proportion of responses in each category of water use; less than 7,500m 3, 7,501 60,000m 3 or over 60,000m 3 per year. 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% >60,001 7,501-60,000 Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) Not specified 0% GardenCentre Arable Arable and Horticulture Horticulture Mixed farming Business type Page 6

7 Water usage according to proportion of horticultural crops grown under cover Less than 7,500 (or less than 20m3 per day) 7,501-60,000 >60, All More than threequarters Half Less than quarter None Not specified Page 7

8 Arable Arable and Horticulture Garden centre Horticulture Mixed farming Count of responses Count of responses Changes in frequency and timing of irrigation Has the time of year that you irrigate changed in recent years? (all crops) No Yes, end later in year Yes, start earlier in year Has the time of year that you irrigate changed in recent years? (Crops gown in the open) Has the time of year that you irrigate changed in recent years? (Crops grown under cover) Arable Arable and Horticulture Garden centre Horticulture Business types Mixed farming No Yes, end later in year Yes, start earlier in year Has the frequency that you irrigate changed in the last 5 years? No Yes, end later in year Yes, start earlier in year How frequently do you irrigate? Ad hoc, when required No change Yes, less frequent Yes, more frequent Grand Total Daily Weekly Business type Grand Total Page 8

9 Type of irrigation system used Ranking, irrigation types most used All business types (n=40) Garden Centres (n=2) Arable (n=3) Arable and Horticulture (n=6) Horticulture (n=24) Mixed Farming (n=5) 1. Hose reel with 1. Hose reel with 1. Rely solely on 1. Trickle or drip 1. Trickle or drip 1. Trickle or drip booms booms rainfall 2. Hose reel with 1. Hose reel with 2. Rely solely on 2. Other booms rain gun rainfall 3. Rely solely on 3. Rely solely on 3. Hose reel with rainfall rainfall rain gun 4. Hose reel with rain gun 4. Trickle or drip 2. Hose reel with 2. Trickle or drip booms 3. Rely solely on 3. Hose reel with rainfall booms 4. Hose reel with 4. Hose reel with rain gun rain gun 5. Other 5. Other 6. Solid set sprinklers Page 9

10 Where does the water come from? Water sources for users of more than 60,001m 3 per year Public Water Supply Groundwater Water sources for users of less than 20m 3 per day Public Water Supply Reservoir River abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Groundwater River abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Water sources for users of between 7,501 and 60,000 m 3 per year Public Water Supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Page 10

11 25% 20% 15% 8% 10% n=2 39% Darent and Cray 12% n=14 3% Medway 20% Where does the water come from? 52% 6% 11% 1% Mains public water supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Canal abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Recycled Other storage facility Mains public water supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Canal abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Recycled Other storage facility 12% 3% 6% 45% 1% North Kent and Swale 70% 33% n=3 n=9 3% North Kent and Swale Rother 27% 33% 26% 18% Mains public water supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Stour Canal abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Recycled Other storage facility n=11 14% 22% Mains public water supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Canal abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Recycled Other storage facility 7% 13% Mains public water supply Groundwater Reservoir River abstraction Canal abstraction Other surface watercourse abstraction Harvested rainwater Recycled Other storage facility n = number of responses Ma Gro Re Riv Ca Oth Ha Re Oth Page 11

12 Abstraction licenses Do you have an abstraction license Yes, more than one Yes, one No Approximately 35-40% of respondents that had some sort of restriction(s) on their abstraction license(s) felt that this had caused problems for their business. Page 12

13 Problems with availability During the last 5 years, how many times has limited available water impacted your business? Arable Arable and Horticulture Horticulture Business Type Mixed farming Garden Centre None Once or twice Total Three or four times Every year Multiple times in most years 1 1 Total respondents said they were currently experiencing water shortage problems. > None of these respondents has an abstraction license >5/8 intend on requesting an abstraction license in the near future. >6/8 of these respondents were worried about future water supply issues. >All are taking some sort of action to either improve their efficiency or water supply. Two of the respondents already have more than one on-farm reservoir. >They are from a variety of different farm types and geographical areas. Page 13

14 Water use and efficiency Recent water efficiency for those whose water use has increased About the same >60% of responses indicated that their water usage had increased in the last 5 years >38% felt that their water usage was about the same >1 respondent felt that their water usage had decreased, they also felt that their water efficiency had improved >More than 75% of the respondents thought that their water use efficiency had increased. Decreased Increased Are you worried about lack of water availability becoming an increasing problem for your business? >Of those respondents that are worried about a lack of water, 87% of them had actively taken measures to improve their water use efficiency. >When asked whether they plan on installing an on-farm reservoir, Neither yes or no No, not really Yes, a little Yes, very > 23% will be installing one > 38% are thinking about one > 40% are not thinking about it (40% of these already have one) Page 14

15 Comments Comments made by respondents: > Finances are always important. Full and transparent guidance from the EA on future plans and grant aid for reservoirs are both going to be very important. > Salt issues with current surface water caused by gravel mining >One individual has 2 winter fill reservoirs already and purchases additional abstraction rights from a neighbouring farmer and still has issues with not having enough water. Page 15

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