1. Water & Agriculture
Seamus Barron Nitrates, Biodiversity & Engineering Division

2. Presentation overview
Water Framework Directive & Nitrates Regs
ACP Research
Support /initiatives for protecting water quality
Nitrates Action Plan (NAP) review

3. Water Framework Directive
The EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requires all MS to protect and improve water quality in all waters – River Basin Management Plan
It applies to rivers, lakes, groundwater, and transitional coastal waters
Requirements - prevent deterioration in status, achieving at least good status in all waters
2nd cycle (Draft RBMP produced)

4. River Basin Management
Draft River Basin Management Plan published 28 Feb ’
6 month consultation process - responses to
Expected outcomes include-
Greater protection of public drinking water
sources.
Improved wastewater treatment
Water quality improvement measures in
water bodies
Greater public and stakeholder engagement in water
issues
Increased knowledge transfer in the agriculture sector
Second Cycle 2018
- 2021

5. Nitrates Regulations – Main WFD Agr. Measure
Limits on the amount of livestock manure applied – 170kg N/Ha
Controls on application of fertilisers
Minimum manure storage requirements
Farmyard management requirements
Maximum nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation rates
Maintain buffer zones adjacent to watercourses, water abstraction points
Green cover & ploughing requirements
Records 5

6. Are the Nitrates Regulations making a positive contribution ?

7. Trend towards reduced nutrient levels

8. Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP)
Research
Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP)
Established under Nitrates Regulations (Art. 27) to evaluate effectiveness of Nitrates Regulations
6 agricultural catchments
>300 participating farmers – full advisory service
Phase 1 (2008 –2011); Phase 2 ( ); Phase 3 ( )
Website link
(phase 2 report)

9. ACP – Research Highlights
Nutrient use efficiency increasing
Farm gate nutrient balances declining
Decreasing % of excessively high P soils
Water quality trends showing signs of recovery (lag times)
Closed spreading period is effective in reducing nutrient losses
Point sources can have disproportionate effect in summer
Significant climate effect on losses
Pathway is important
Contact with an agricultural advisor OR advisor plus farmer discussion group has a positive effect on NMP adoption

10. EPA
Nitrates Regulation is most important measure to address diffuse agricultural pollution
Confident that Nitrates Regulations are making positive contribution
But ....

11. Comparison of surface water quality in Ireland with with other countries (based on EEA website data)

12. 2nd Draft River Basin Management Plan – Targeted Additional Measures
RDP
GLAS
TAMS
Knowledge Transfer
Locally led schemes

13. Targeted additional measures
GLAS
GLAS has funding of approx €1.3bn over the course of the RDP ,000 farmers
45% of all actions benefit water quality, incl. NMP

14. GLAS actions that improve water quality
Grass Margins – when placed along a watercourse it acts as a buffer zone to intercept nutrient runoff.
Riparian Margins – stabilise river banks and act as a buffer zone to intercept livestock nutrient runoff.
Protection of watercourse from bovines – fencing watercourses off from bovines prevents direct contamination.
Low Emission Slurry Spreading

15. Targeted additional measures
TAMS – improving nutrient management and nutrient use efficiency
LESS and Animal Welfare, Safety &
Nutrient Storage Scheme
Locally-led Agri-Environmental Schemes
Freshwater Pearl Mussel
Knowledge Transfer
KT programme - adoption of best practice - 20,000 farmers
National Dairy Sustainability Forum – Co op led farm pilot programme to implement ACP best practice

16. Nutrient Management Planning
Critical for
Protection of water
Improved productivity
Effective use of valuable and
costly nutrients
Reduced fertiliser costs

17. Irish soil fertility trends
10% of soils good overall fertility
62% very low to low P status
Lime usage has fallen significantly

18. New NMP On-line Open to all users - Aim is greater implementation
by farmers
User friendly recommendations
- Colour coded maps 18

19. Nitrates Action Plan Review
Public consultation 2 March to 28 April 2017
Invitations for submissions, observations and comments on the third review of Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme.
To get involved, please your observations or comments to by Friday 28th April 2017.
Postal responses should be sent to: Nitrates Consultation Water Quality Section Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Newtown Road, Wexford Y35 AP90

20. Changes made - previous NAP review
Increased P limits for grassland with S.R. of 85kg+ N/ha, reduced for less than 85kg N/ ha First 300 kg conc/85 kg N discounted when calculating P allowance Reduced availability of P to 50% in organic fertilisers for index 1 & 2 soils P allowance for maize on index 4 soils P allowance for cereals on index 4 where pH above 7 Soil sample valid for 5 years on non der. farms 2m uncultivated zone near surface waters for tillage crops Set back distances from water courses of 20m - feeding pts & fym Increased N rate on winter barley and spring wheat

21. Transitional P Arrangements
Ended in December 2016 – maximum fertilisation rates must now be adhered with.
Pig slurry imported onto a holding in the closed period in 2017
will be treated as inventory for application in 2018, rather than being considered as applied in the year of importation
DAFM initiative to encourage use of pig slurry
- compiling list of pig farmers wishing to export slurry
- list made available to advisers
- texts to farmers in locality of these pig farmers

22. Derogations - Deadline for applications 31 March 2017, must be on-line
Fertiliser plan in place by 1 March (on-line NMP) & must be
submitted, unless submitted in
- Fertiliser plan – based on soil analysis post 15 Sept 2013
- Farm map required – location of fields + soil results (unless submitted on-line 2014 – 2016)
Farmyard sketch required showing manure storage &
housing (unless submitted 2014 – 2016)
- Fertiliser accounts to be submitted on-line by 31 March)

23. Summary
Nitrates regs and other support measures -effective in the protection of water
‘Hotspots’ issue - high P in certain waterbodies in summer and winter
Nutrient Management Planning is critical
KT programmes, farmer engagement, targeted measures – important for further water quality improvements