THE LOWESWATER CARE PROJECT lake background how we got here where we might be going

LOWESWATER - catchment area of 800 hectares - largely agricultural with some forest and open fells - grazed mainly by sheep with smaller numbers of cattle catchment contains 31 properties 8 working farms 63 full-time population equivalents 18 sewage treatment plants - 1.6 km long, 0.5 km wide - volume = 5,400,000 m3 - average depth = 8.4m - maximum depth = 16m - mean retention time = 200 days history of increasing eutrophic character (algae and cyanobacteria) due to increased inputs of phosphates from fertilisers/wastes and possibly from lake sediments

HISTORY OF RECENT WORK 1999 EA West Cumbria Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP) need for further information on the algal blooms occurring in Loweswater 2000 University College London study changes in agricultural practices nutrient management plans for farmers improved maintenance of septic tanks More use of phosphate-free detergents

HISTORY OF RECENT WORK 2002 Loweswater Improvement Group established by local farmers after F&M crisis aim to gain information about how to improve agricultural practices and to address potential pollution sources through working together and with outside agencies and scientists nutrient budgeting exercise in collaboration with ADAS soil pH survey and consequent liming to raise soil pH farm waste survey replacement of 5 septic tanks with packaged sewage treatment plants in 2007 Biodisc Reed Bed

HISTORY OF RECENT WORK 2004-6 studies by Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and Lancaster University (LU) CEH study on impacts of farming practices on the lake involving sampling of input streams for P analysis, algal monitoring and lake modelling Lancaster University scoping study for later multi-disciplinary study of lake catchment 2007-2010 CEH/LU study “Understanding and Acting within Loweswater: A Community Approach to Catchment Management” = Loweswater Care Project (LCP) aiming to create a mechanism that allows the community, stakeholder and institutions to come together and make decisions carry out further research on the ecology of land and water in the catchment and studies of institutional regulation and management to see if the way that has evolved to bring together local communities, institutional stakeholders and researchers of different disciplines is beneficial and can be transferred to other situations.

COMMUNITY-LED LOWESWATER CARE PROJECT: OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE key factors for future operation technical focus, water or wider? geographical focus, lake catchment or wider? who are main stakeholders? The Melbreak Communities new partnership between 4 local Parish Councils developing Community Action Plan with focus on safety/security, transport, housing, valley services, recreation and the environment Derwent Rivers Trust newest of 34 Rivers Trusts across the UK already some collaboration on control of Himalayan Balsam National Trust owners of the lake and some nearby land An independent body

CONTACTS AND REFERENCES Websites Lancaster University http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/projects/loweswater/ The Melbreak Communities http://www.melbreakcommunities.org.uk/activities/loweswater-care-project/ Contacts Ken Bell, local farmer and researcher on LCP Leslie Webb, local resident Claire Waterton, Lancaster University References Bennion et al “Water Quality Investigation of Loweswater, Cumbria” Final Report to the Environment Agency by the Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, May 2000 Maberly et al “An investigation into the potential impacts of farming practices on Loweswater” CEH Report to the Rural Development Service and the National Trust, January 2006. Waterton et al “Understanding Loweswater: Interdisciplinary Research in Practice”, J. Agricultural Economics, 2006, 57, 2, 277–293.