Water quality and agriculture How can we achieve improvements? Jenny Deakin Catchment Science and Management Unit With assistance from EPA colleagues

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1 Water quality and agriculture How can we achieve improvements? Jenny Deakin Catchment Science and Management Unit With assistance from EPA colleagues and RPS consultants

2 Context: River Water Quality, past, now, future? % river channel length at satisfactory status 100? Expenditure billion 95 Farm Buildings? REPS Water 90 Urban Waste Water ? Challenging in the context of FH2020/Food Wise2025 strategies, 8bn for 5% improvement. Needs a new approach increasing population and implications of climate Slide source:change Pat Duggan.

3 Status update Rivers Lakes Estuaries Coastal Groundwater Water quality status (% monitored water bodies)

4 Changes in status during the last plan Improvements were offset by deterioration What can we learn from this?

5 Significant loss of high status sites

6 What is characterisation? Is there a problem? What is causing it, where, and why? How do we fix it? The right measure in the right place

7 Nested scales Waterbodies Subcatchments Catchments River basin management plan

8 Characterisation approach For every waterbody Monitoring Status Aiming for The right measure in the right place

9 140 datasets >25 person years, not incl help! All recorded in the WFD App Source LPIS data Source: DAFM ForestrySource: DAFM Small point Large point sources Source: EPA sources Source: EPA Pathway Aquifers Source: GSI Vulnerability Subsoils Source: GSI Source: Teagasc To make improvements, need to break the links. Soils Source: Teagasc Receptor

10 Risk Risk assessment outcomes Approximately one third (1360) of all waterbodies are At Risk of not achieving WFD objectives and need additional action

11 Significant issue P is the most significant WQ issue Issues Possible pressures P eutrophication (rivers/lakes) N eutrophication (saline) Agriculture, WWTPs, DWWTSs, Urban areas, Forestry, Industry Ammonium Peat extraction, WWTPs Fine sediment Channel maintenance, forestry, agriculture Channel modification Channel maintenance, drainage works Industrial pollutants Landfills, industry But we need the significant pressures for each water body

12 How do we know what the significant pressures are? Significant pressures 1. Evidenced-based assessment process, waterbody by waterbody, using the source-pathway-receptor approach 2. New nutrient modelling tools Source Load Apportionment Model Load reduction calculations, and stream profiles Pollution Impact Potential Maps for diffuse agriculture TraCs team estuary models, GW load models 3. Local knowledge from EPA colleagues 4. Workshops and discussions with Local authorities and Inland Fisheries Ireland, incorporating their local data and knowledge More than one pressure may be significant Investigative assessments: right measure in the right place

13 Significant Pressures in AtRisk rivers and lakes Significant pressures

14 Where are the significant pressures for rivers and lakes? (Estuaries to be completed) Significant pressures

15 Measures Selecting the right measure We now have a better understanding for every waterbody: What the water quality problems are and why. Where to focus in to carry out field scale investigative assessments to find the right measure and get it implemented, i.e. further characterisation. What the physical characteristics are, as a basis for determining the right measure in the right place.

16 Measures Investigative assessments Carried out in At Risk water bodies Catchment and stream walks Focus on the significant pressures Rule areas in or out Refine understanding of the problem Focus on finding the right solutions NB: We don t need agricultural measures everywhere One size fit all approaches are not the solution Challenge: How do we find the right solution and get it implemented, at the farm scale?

17 Current situation Source Pathway Receptor

18 Current situation Source Source Pathway Pathway Receptor Receptor Option 1: Reduce the source

19 Current situation Source Source Source Source Pathway Pathway Pathway Pathway Receptor Receptor Receptor Receptor Option 1: Reduce the source Option 2: Repair the receptor Option 3: Break the pathway

20 Measures Pollution Impact Potential maps Critical Source Areas now delineated Map of relative risk of transport of diffuse P from agriculture to rivers via OF pathways Not field scale. Field scale investigative assessments needed to find the right solution

21 Measures Prioritising action Priorities identified in the drbmp: Compliance with existing EU legislation (e.g. UWWTD) Prevent deterioration Meet water objectives for designated protected areas Protect high status waters Focus sub-catchments for targeted actions and pilot schemes.

22 Key messages 1360 river and lakes waterbodies have unsatisfactory WQ P is the main issue for rivers and lakes Agriculture is known to be a significant pressure in 800 Only some of these will get prioritised for action in the current river basin plan decision process underway Only some farms within the affected areas will have problems For P, intercepting the pathway is the key Solutions need to be farm specific in places where there are problems

23 Key concerns That satisfactory water quality (and WFD objectives) will not be achieved quickly enough That there will be ECJ cases against Ireland That the nitrates derogation could be compromised That the FH2020 and Food Wise 2025 objectives will not be achieved

24 Role of farm advisors is critical How can we best work together to 1. Decide on and target action into the areas that need it the most, as a means of achieving water quality and other benefits? 2. Engage with, and support farmers to ensure satisfactory water quality and environmental sustainability?