1. LNP Rural & Green Economy Group meeting 25 th November 2015 Alan Turner Water Resources Manager Kent County Council alan.turner@kent.gov.uk Water for irrigation and the work of the Kent Water Task Group

2. Source: Environment Agency

5. South East Water Non-domestic use

6. What is the problem? Agriculture and horticulture are significant for the Kent economy. Availability restrictions impacting a third of all growers. Trickle sector growing rapidly – in Kent trickle volumes have doubled and overall irrigation volumes are up by a third since 2008. Abstraction Reform a major concern - changes for those that have licenses; huge uncertainty for trickle irrigators as they are currently unlicensed.

8. Water Task Group Water Task Group partners: Kent County Council South East Water Environment Agency National Farmers Union East Malling Research Country Land and Business Association Campaign for the Farmed Environment Kent Rural Board set up a task group in 2012:

10. Water efficiency Individual water storage reservoirs Licence trades with water companies Connections to water company pipelines Connection networks with neighbours Share in water company infrastructure Share in multipurpose (FRM and WR) structures Increasing need for collaboration and organisation Options for improving water availability

11. ‘WATERR’ Project Findings Kent IBR Growers – Main Irrigated Crops Irrigation Use By Volume 35 growers - Total 2.3 million cubic meters

12. ‘WATERR’ Project Findings

13. ‘WATERR’ Project Findings : Irrigation Performance and Returns

14. ‘WATERR’ Project Findings : Irrigation Performance and Returns

15. ‘WATERR’ Project Findings : Irrigation Performance and Returns

16. Water efficiency Individual water storage reservoirs Licence trades with water companies Connections to water company pipelines Connection networks with neighbours Share in water company infrastructure Share in multipurpose (FRM and WR) structures Increasing need for collaboration and organisation Options for improving water availability

17. Reservoir design guide Issues raised by reservoir engineers and growers: Key component of protected cropping systems. Inconsistent requirements from each LPA. Some biodiversity requirements too onerous and can lead to projects being abandoned. Importance of irrigation reservoirs not recognised. Lengthy planning process.

18. Reservoir design guide Sets out: Economic importance of irrigation reservoirs Balance between water storage, landscape and wildlife benefits Permitting processes for EA, LPA and archaeology

19. Reservoir design guide Explains key issues of Land suitability Water availability and quality Landscape and biodiversity Planning and permits Funding Legislation Provides links to other information and organisations Will be available at http://www.kentruralnetwork.org.uk/ http://www.kentruralnetwork.org.uk/ Promotional visits to LPAs

20. Runoff from polytunnels can cause muddy flooding. Downside of protected cropping systems Inconvenience Damage to roads Pollution of water courses

21. Harvesting rainwater from polytunnels is a win-win opportunity: Rainwater harvesting Provides a valuable source of clean irrigation water Reduces flooding Reduces soil erosion Reduces sediment pollution of water courses

22. Harvesting rainwater from polytunnels is a win-win opportunity for new systems but must be designed in. How can existing problems be best addressed? Rainwater harvesting

23. Water efficiency Individual water storage reservoirs Licence trades with water companies Connections to water company pipelines Connection networks with neighbours Share in water company infrastructure Share in multipurpose (FRM and WR) structures Increasing need for collaboration and organisation Options for improving water availability

24. Water quality = water quantity? Poor water quality can reduce water availability For example: Diffuse pollution problems in the River Medway sometimes restrict the pumping of water to fill Bewl Water Reservoir. The source is agricultural pesticides. Poor water quality downstream of some wastewater treatment works make it unsuitable for agricultural irrigation. Improved irrigation efficiency can reduce diffuse pollution. Integrated catchment management is the solution.

25. Next Steps Water efficiency Support EMR in developing a new Water Efficiency Technology Centre to bring together EMR research and private sector irrigation technology suppliers including RWH systems. Water availability Quick wins to substitute for mains water supplies where possible. Understand potential demand for recycled water for irrigation and work with water companies to develop additional capacity in the Aylesford scheme. Water quality Work with SE Rivers Trust to identify and develop opportunities for better integration with catchment management.

26. Asking of LNP Understand and promote importance of irrigation production systems and its economic contribution. Understand the unique irrigation demand pressures in Kent and some of the solutions being developed. Assist with getting this message across to LPAs. Advise on resolving existing muddy flooding / rainwater harvesting issues. Liaison between LNP and WTG.

27. Questions? Alan Turner alan.turner@kent.gov.uk Tel. 03000 417187