4. Abstraction
BAWAG currently has 170 members from
Waveney to Kings Lynn with abstraction
licences for some 13 million cubic meters.
Equivalent to less than 5mm rainfall across the
whole arable acerage.
But the abstraction occurs in the summer time at
a time of peak water stress and can cause
localised issues.
5. BAWAG
Very active lobbying organisation on abstraction
issues
Members are encouraged to enter into the
abstraction debate
Voluntary membership costing £4/1000 cubic
meters of abstraction over 14 years.
100% membership in all water stressed
catchments
6. BAWAG
Represents the abstraction interests of members
Acts as a forum for discussion of sustainable
agricultural water management
Encourages members to have greater involvement in
water policy
To strive for wise and sustainable use of water
resources
Act as a focal point for all local discussions with
Environment Agency on water resources
Responded to all Government consultations in the last
12 years on water resources
7. BAWAG
Government seeks BAWAG views on water resources
and other Environmental issues
Two way communication!
BAWAG are the only abstractor group to give evidence
to EFRA committee on Climate Change, Water
Resources & Flooding
BAWAG Members had no irrigation restrictions in
2009 due to intense lobbying of Environment Agency
and Aquifer Recharge in the previous winter
8. BAWAG 2009 roundup
Response to Cave Report- consulted on freeing up
Report-
licencing system
Proposals to time limit perpetual licences- on going
licences-
Environmental Permitting consultation- discharges,
consultation-
groundwater authorisations etc
Consultation on EIUC- payments
EIUC-
Consultation on RBMP
Flood & Water Management Bill-on going
Bill-
Very dry summer but aquifers held up well
9. Habitat Directive
Review of Consents is almost completed
Coston Fen. One farmer (time limited licence)
vs Anglian Water.
Buxton Heath. Two licences affected
Smallburgh Fen. 1 farmer affected
Hickling Broad. Part of 1 licence affected
Catfield Fen- 2 licences held up for long term
Fen-
renewal
10. Habitat Directive
Compensation for Environmental Damage for
Non-
Non-time limited licence holders.
Funded by EIUC in annual abstraction invoice
for all abstractors
11. Water Framework Directive
CAMS (Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy)
Country divided up into 129 CAMS
North Norfolk Rivers- Ross Haddow
Rivers-
Broadland CAMS- Andrew Alston
CAMS-
- Peter Whatling
Process provides for an open, consistent and structured
approach to water resource management
Six year cycle
Farmers may be excluded in the next round of CAMS
12. CAMS
Catchments are described as
Water Available
No Water Available
Over Licenced
Over Abstracted
Abstractors have the opportunity to be consulted
Broadland CAMS- 80% of respondents were farmers
CAMS-
13. CAMS
Over Abstracted catchments
Stiffkey
Spixworth Beck
Dove
Tas
Over licenced catchments where Environment Agency
are actively taking licences back
Wensum-
Wensum- 25% reduction- now a RoC issue with 25%
reduction-
off all licences
14. Response to CAMS
BAWAG responded on behalf of members plus many farmers
Stiffkey Farmers for a Sustainable Chalk River
Marc Spiller- German student
Spiller-
£22 million CSF funding came out of this group
Spixworth Beck Abstractors
William Coulet- Dutch Student- currently applying to undertake a Phd at
Coulet- Student-
UEA-
UEA- so we may see him again.
Other issues identified:
Diffuse pollution from the public-cars etc
public-
Aquifer recharge
Rackheath Eco town
15. Future Drivers to Water Efficiency
Tesco, M&S, Walkers Crisps etc have started to specify
carbon footprints for their products- they are also
products-
looking to set targets for water.
Cross compliance- don’t pump outside your licence
compliance-
parameters. £20,000 fine from EA plus 5% of SFP
As we move towards 2015, WFD issues will become
bigger as we fail to hit water quality targets
Farmers need to respond- Campaign For the Farmed
respond-
Environment is dipping our toe in the water. RBMP
have set out exactly what each catchments issues are.
There will be different solutions to different problems.
16. Grants for farmers
EEDA/LEADER grants are available. Modulated
money, match funded by Government. EEDA have a
2020 vision of a 50% increase in irrigatable land plus
reduced fertilizer. Increase in fruit & vegetable
consumption leads to a healthier population.
Reservoirs funded by EEDA. Including solutions to
problems from RoC.
LEADER is bottom up ideas. AWA Chairman of
Norfolk Coast & Broads. Grants available for water
efficiency including underground main, pumps, IT
control, conversion from inefficient systems to efficient
systems. (Not reels, booms or overground pipes)
17. Landskills East
Water quality
It is hoped to put on courses for RBMP for each
catchment. This will enable farmers to look at their
ELS agreement in a new light when they get renewed.
Water Efficiency
An application is going in to look at the worse 50
irrigation systems, advise farmers on what change is
needed and point him in direction of grants
LEADER grants
EEDA grants
18. Current Water Projects
Church Farm Gimingham Ltd. 59,000 cubic meter new borehole in Water
Available catchment. LEADER Grant to put in pumps, IT control,
underground main. Hopefully some co-operation/water sales with neighbours
co-
WJ Bracey Ltd. Conversion from well points to borehole. LEADER grant.
Wharton Farms. Conversion of part frost protection licence to 45,454 cubic
meter reservoir. EEDA grant
M Ditch. Conversion of seepage reservoir & well points to borehole.
LEADER grant
3 Review of Consent issues. 3 reservoirs in planning stage
2 reservoirs in planning stage to harvest water from housing developments
3 abstraction licences for sale/lease. Bure catchment
Trading licence across a river
Numerous licences renewals and licence changes
27. Future of WAG’s
BAWAG, ESWAG & Lark are beginning to discuss issues
jointly. Little common ground
Lark are in a similar position to BAWAG with grants. Might
appoint CEO.
Once WAG’s have a CEO, its easier to work together as there
are fewer people in chain.
WAG’s need to work together on water footprints, water
efficiency and water audits, energy audits etc
WAG’s need to promote themselves to Natural England,
Environment Agency, Defra, Grant bodies, Food Processing
factories and large International brands, Eg Pepsi.
28. Funding future projects
Large joint irrigation projects are very expensive
Outside funding could be useful
Consider Enterprise Investment Scheme
29. Agricultural Water Management
Andrew Alston
White House Farm
Marsham
Norfolk
NR10 5PJ
01263 733395
www.awmcl.com
www.norfolkfarm.co.uk
www.bawag.co.uk