Sets the context for the Catchment based Approach, describing the decline in ecosystem functionality and the challenge that still faces the UK in achieving improvements under the Water Framework Directive. Outlines the roles of the new CaBA Partnerships, the National Steering group, and the EA in helping to shape the next round of River Basin Managment Plans, and also in achieving improvements that go beyond WFD.

1. A response to the challenge
from the third sector
Arlin Rickard
Chairman – CaBA steering group
Catchment
Based Approach
Partnerships f or Action

2. Catchment Based Approach
‘Partnerships for Action ’
Catchment Based Approach
(CaBA)
A Response to the Challenge
from the 3rd Sector
Arlin Rickard
Chairman – CaBA Steering
Group

3. National Ecosystem Assessment:
UK benefits of inland wetlands to water
quality - up to £1.5billion per year
UK amenity benefits of living close to rivers,
coasts and other wetlands - up to
£1.3billion per year
INNS one of the 5 primary drivers of change
in ecosystem services in the last 60 years...

4. Making Space for Nature:
Professor Sir John Lawton
Recommendation 4.
Public bodies and statutory undertakers planning the
management of water resources should:
• Make space for water and wildlife along rivers and around
wetlands;
• Restore natural processes in river catchments, including in
ways that support climate change adaptation and mitigation;
and
• Accelerate the programme to reduce nutrient
overload, particularly from diffuse pollution.

5. Ecosystem failure means…
-ive impacts on human health
Flooding/Drought
Loss of amenity value
Consequences
-ive impacts on tourism
Loss of biodiversity
-ive impacts on water quality

6. European Commission WFD Performance

7. EU Water Framework Directive
Ensuring ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 /2021
will be a major challenge!
WFD Public Participation
(Article 14)
“Member States shall
encourage the active
involvement of all interested
parties in the implementation
of this Directive, in particular
in the production, review and
updating of the river basin
management plans…”

8. CaBA Framework
• Defra Policy Framework – ‘to encourage the
wider adoption of an integrated CaBA to
improving the quality of our water environment’
• Involving the 1st , 2nd & 3rd Sectors in
partnership:
• 1st - Government, agencies, local authorities
• 2nd - Water Co’s, farmers, river owners, business
• 3rd – NGO’s, voluntary groups, communities
• Catchment Partnership Groups - providing
coordination & guidance

9. CaBA Framework - considerations
• WFD 2nd cycle is important but only part of the
journey
• Some form of map and /or plan is probably
necessary to allow catchment targeting and
prioritisation
• A plan is a means to an end (delivery of
catchment management) not an end in itself!
• Develop strategic relationship with
LNP’s, NIA’s, LEP’s

10. The Ecosystem Approach provides a guide to linking
human/ social, ecological and economic drivers and is a
delivery tool of the Convention on Biological Diversity
it’s about
people…

11. The Ecosystem Approach
Managing the environment is really
about managing people…
Nature can usually manage itself…

12. CaBA Partnerships

13. CaBA Partnerships

14. CaBA Partnerships

15. CaBA Steering Group
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Angling Trust - John Cheyne
Freshwater Habitats Trust - Jeremy Biggs
Groundwork Trust - Sarah Reece-Mills
National Trust - Helen Dangerfield
RSPB - Rob Cunningham
Salmon & Tout Association - Janina Gray
The Rivers Trust - Arlin Rickard
The Wildlife Trusts - Helen Perkins
Wildfowl and Wetland Trust - Carrie Hulme
WWF - Kathy Hughes
Water UK - Sarah Mukherjee
Defra + EA, NE, CSF, FC

16. CaBA Working Groups
Reporting to the Steering Group
•
•
•
•
Data Users Group
Agriculture Group
TraC Waters Group
More to follow as appropriate…
Secretariat: Ali Morse (TWT); Rob Collins (RT)

17. CaBA Activity
It’s really up to the Catchment Partnerships:
• WFD
• Bathing Waters
• Flood Risk Management
• Drinking water supply
• Biodiversity 2020
• Fisheries management
• Wider Ecosystem Services
• Climate change resilience
• INNS etc

18. CaBA & 2nd cycle WFD RBDMP’s
• WFD ‘Article 14’
• 2nd cycle WFD RBDM Plans 2015 -2021 (dRBMP’s by
December 2014 - first look July 2014)
• EA’s Challenges & Choices consultation
• Operational Catchments?
• Catchment Summaries?
• Access to Linked Data- web support tool?
• Interface with CaBA
o Surveying & monitoring - evidence
o Catchment management planning
o WFD template or ‘universal translator’
o DELIVERY of IMPROVEMENTS

19. Macro-invertebrate sampling was completed at all of the monitoring sites, excluding site 4. The
sampling procedure was compliant with the Environment Agency's operational instruction manual
produced in 2008 (Technical reference material: freshwater macro-invertebrate sampling in rivers).
A one minute manual search was initially carried out at each site, followed by kick sampling using
the three minute, pond, net sampling method. The net used was a standard 1mm mesh sampling
net. The kick sampling technique involves disturbing the substrate by foot and capturing any
displaced invertebrates as they drift downstream with the flow into the sampling net. All available
habitat types at each site were sampled proportionately and for a total time of three minutes.
Collected samples were placed into a container and then preserved using IMS (industrial methylated
spirits). All samples were first examined on the bank side for dead invertebrates.
The physical characteristics of each site, including depth, substrate and flow type, a subjective
assessment of turbidity and any other relevant observations were recorded. Estimates of algae and
macrophyte cover were also recorded.
Policy & delivery framework
Working to generate new evidence
• Critical analysis of existing data sources
At a later date, the samples were sieved using a 500-micron sieve and placed into a sorting tray.
Where possible, macro-invertebrates were identified to species level with the exception of
Oligochaeta which were identified to class, and Simuliidae, Sphaeridae and Chironomidae which
were identified to family level. Factors making it impossible to identify other macro-invertebrates to
species level include size or crucial identification features missing.
• Generation of supplementary data &
evidence
observed at Site 2 could be indicative of the more favour
habitat restoration works. To substantiate these results, a
The failure of the Tippets Brook to support a healthy fi
availability of suitable in-stream habitats, as a result
agricultural diffuse pollution, causing elevated levels of in-
The families present in a sample contribute to the
derivation of a biological (BMWP) score for each site.
This scoring system was developed as a way of
assessing the biological quality of rivers and streams.
The method assigns a score to each taxon ranging from
1 to 10 depending on their capacity to tolerate
pollution. Those most tolerant to pollution have a low
score, whilst those least tolerant have a high score.
The sum of the taxa scores from a sample is the
Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) score.
The BMWP score, and ASPT (average score per taxon)
were calculated for each sample.
Figu
Tyrr
equi
Figure 23: Macro-invertebrate sampling
at Bidney Farm (Site 3).

20. SCIMAP: A diffuse pollution risk modelling
framework
Land use
Slope
Rainfall

21. SCIMAP: A diffuse pollution risk modelling
framework

22. UEA Export Coefficient Model: Adaptive
Modelling
Agricultural
census
2004
Local
farmers
Permanent grass
(ha)
19
19
Temporary grass
(ha)
3
3
Rough grazing
(ha)
3
3
Cereals (ha)
33
33
Root crops (ha)
16
16
Field vegetables
(ha)
3
3
Oilseed rape (ha)
0
0
Woodland (ha)
2
2
Bare fallow (ha)
0
0
Cattle
158
300
Pigs
110
0
97
10
35121
0
Sheep & goats
Poultry
Baseline
Scenario

23. Defra Catchment Funding:
• Catchment Partnership Fund (CPF) £1m + £400k,
to March 2014
• Defra’s Catchment Restoration Fund (CRF)
approved 42 projects with a value of c£24m. These
projects will deliver multiple benefits targeting over
300 waterbodies. (December 2012)
• Defra’s River Improvement Fund (RIF) has
delivered over 200 projects with a value of <£7m +
co-finance
• In collaboration with the Environment
Agency

24. DEFRA / EA Catchment
Funding
River Improvement Fund / Catchment Restoration Fund
Works undertaken include –
• Catchment restoration
• Fish migration barrier
removal
• Environmental & river
habitat improvements
• Tackling diffuse pollution
• Monitoring of works &
outcomes

25. Fish passage
Hadfield Weir Fish Pass

26. Eel migration
Fish & eel valves on sluices

27. River habitat restoration
Frome Salmonid Improvement

28. Reducing agricultural pressure
on water resources

29. Catchment Management Roadmap
Adapted from Rural Economy & Land Use
(RELU)
Knowledge – guided
by science & public
benefit
Stakeholders
& evidence
Delivery of
Catchment
Restoration

30. Developing an integrated catchment approach
Our ultimate goal is to create a catchment plan that is…
1. Strategic
Interventions are delivered in a targeted and timely
manner to achieve the greatest amount of benefit
2. Integrated
Adopts a variety of different measures tailored to
each situation and ecosystem services objective
3. Costed and funded
The cost of each intervention is determined and
funding acquired from the most appropriate
stakeholder
4. Balanced
Delivers improvements, but not at the expense of
food production or economic sustainability

31. CaBA means that for the first time – the
future of our rivers, really is in your hands!

32. Its all about people working together!

33. Good luck &
Thank You !

34. Catchment Based Approach
(CaBA)
www.catchmentbasedapproach.net
ccmhub.net