Farmers and landowners within the Lugg and Wye catchment are being reminded to identify fields which are most at risk of soil erosion and runoff and assess what can be done to reduce the risk of this happening.
The Environment Agency are carrying out work in the area using satellite imagery and computer modelling to determine which fields are most at risk of soil erosion and runoff, and therefore sources of diffuse pollution in the Wye, Lugg, and their tributaries.
If you have land in this catchment, ask yourself:
- Is it appropriate to be growing these crops in this location?
- Am I taking reasonable precautions when growing and harvesting the crop and in post-harvest management of the field, to reduce the risk of runoff?
The following information has also been provided by the EA:
Possible Impact on the rivers of pollution from your fields
Soil runoff smothers river gravels which stops effective fish spawning and damages habitat for river insect life. Soil bound nutrients stimulate excessive plant and algal growth which degrade river habitat. The River Lugg and its tributaries are protected catchments — SSSI and SAC relating to Salmon, Shad and Native Crayfish.
Examples of Reasonable Precautions
Section 10(6) of the Regulations provides a non-exhaustive list of examples of what are seen as reasonable precautions:
- establishing crops early in autumn months, and during dry conditions,
- planting headland rows and beds across the base of any sloping land,
- undersowing or sowing a cover crop to stabilise soil after harvest,
- breaking up compacted soil, and
- grass buffer strips in valleys, along contours, field edges, and gateways
All of our cross compliance clients have risk maps within their folders, which can be found in Section 3 and Section 6, but if you would like any further help or guidance on completing a soil health or soil risk plan, contact the office on 01981 590514, and we will be happy to help.
