Pollution from agriculture has been identified as the greatest single risk from rural diffuse sources to achieving good ecological status in Scotland's water environment Current environmental legislation has been designed primarily to deal with point source pollution and it is not very effective in preventing or mitigating the effects of diffuse pollution Changes in agricultural production have involved increased fertiliser and pesticide inputs, as well as in some cases higher levels of soil loss. Since the 1950s: - the amount of inorganic nitrogen applied to agricultural land has increased by seven times (+600%) and at the same time
- phosphorus application has almost doubled (+70%).
SEPA estimates that some 45,000 tonnes of nitrate and some 2,800 tonnes of phosphate are lost to surface and groundwater every year and when lost from land to the water environment they contribute to the process of eutrophication, which may result in an undesirable disturbance to natural conditions The nutrients lost in this way come from livestock manures and from inorganic fertilisers. Soil losses from agricultural activities are estimated at 780,000 tonnes a year Losses are a primary source of diffuse pollution, but also a by-product of normal rural land use Best practice can reduce losses, and in many cases enhance farm business profitability Some protective measures will incur net costs for farming | The Scottish Executive published a proposed strategy, "Diffuse Water Pollution from Rural Land Use", in December 2005 The paper discussed the nature and scale of the problem, and proposed a combination of measures: the support of voluntary action based on good practice, regulations to protect the water environment, and the provision of appropriate incentives for farmers and other land managers Scotland's agricultural land supports extensive production of sheep and cattle in upland areas, with intensive arable and livestock agriculture limited to lowland regions. Under the Water Framework Directive, all Member States are required to introduce measures for the control of diffuse pollution The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 ( CAR) provides such a means of control All activities that pose a potential risk to the water environment have to be authorised The simplest means of doing this is by authorisation under general binding rules ( GBRs). The CAR provide that activities which constitute a threat to the water environment, in this context a threat to water quality as a result of pollution, are permitted only if authorised under the proposed regime They update and replace the controls in the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and Groundwater Regulations 1998, under which all discharges of pollutants were subject to licence by SEPA | Erosion of soil can lead to more turbid waters as well as deposition in streams that is damaging to the ecology of water bodies The provisions of Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition, introduced in 2005, require action to prevent soil losses The new regulatory controls, General Binding Rules ( GBRs), are designed to be a 'light touch' and proportionate to risk It is intended that national GBRs will provide general levels of protection to the water environment in Scotland and will be based on accepted standards of good practice Published codes of good practice, such as the Prevention of Environmental Pollution From Agricultural Activity ( PEPFAA) Code, are being used as a basis Registration with targeted GBRs will be developed for those catchments which are affected by diffuse pollution where it is agreed that 'national' GBRs alone will not meet good ecological status Work began early in 2006 on developing GBRs for agriculture and forestry and a consultation on these new controls has been issued in November 2006 The proposals are intended to help bring about good water status across Scotland without imposing onerous costs or conditions on land managers Also proposes that that it should be permissible for lightly contaminated farmyard water to be drained to a wetland constructed for the purpose, as an alternative to collection of the run-off in a slurry store Greener pesticides, could also help | The Water Framework Directive requires the introduction of a programme of measures, including basic measures to prevent or control diffuse pollution, in order to achieve good water status by 2015 These measures must be in place by 2009 and operational by 2012; they will operate within the river basin management planning process It is very likely that even with national GBRs in place there will still be problems associated with certain pollutants in some catchments For these areas it is planned that, in conjunction with River Basin Management Planning, the national rules will be supplemented by further localised controls to apply to a particular land use activity There is a choice of ways in which such additional specific rules could be applied At the same time, through Land Management Contracts, the Executive will be increasing the incentives available for action to enhance environmental protection Combined monitoring indicators from WFD, CAR and LMC activity should be identified/ incorporated into funding mechanisms/ agreements/ targets for land managers to attain for further funding Continue monitoring in already established ways - reactions ( BOD & COD) - continued improvement to water quality - biodiversity improvement in watercourses - associated improvement in soils adjacent to watercourses | The Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (the WEWS Act) has established a broad framework for the future management of rivers, lochs, coasts and groundwater WEWS Act requires the introduction of measures to protect the water environment and achieve good quality in Scotland's waters The aim of the WEWS Act is to protect and improve the chemical, biological and ecological status of the water environment Consultation on diffuse pollution and effective means of action has been issued and the implementation of the consultation recommendations is underway with the introduction of General Binding Rules ( GBRs) The proposed GBRs relate to some 7 activities, primarily in agriculture and forestry, which are identified as potential risks to water quality: 1. The storage or application of fertiliser 2. The keeping of livestock 3. The cultivation of land 4. The discharge of surface water 5. The construction of waterbound roads 6. The handling and use of pesticides 7. The operation of sheep dipping facilities Scotland has well developed systems for water quality monitoring driven by sound science and good practice - other current measures include NVZ action and management plans |