water

This page is to connect organisations, projects and resources that have an interest in improving the quality of our water sources.

Water is an important nexus for agriculture, with a large number of organisations and stakeholders having a shared interested in the objective of achieving consistent clean water sources.

The interplay between agriculture and clean water is a complex and crucial relationship that highlights both challenges and opportunities:

  1. Water Source Contamination: Agriculture can impact water quality through the runoff of fertilizers, pesticides, and manure into nearby water bodies. This contamination poses risks to aquatic ecosystems and the availability of clean water for communities.

  2. Erosion Control: Effective soil and water conservation practices in agriculture, such as contour farming and cover cropping, can reduce soil erosion. This, in turn, prevents sedimentation in rivers and lakes, helping to maintain clean water quality.

  3. Irrigation Efficiency: Agriculture is a major water user, especially in regions with limited water resources. Implementing efficient irrigation methods, like drip irrigation, reduces water wastage, conserving this precious resource.

  4. Wetland Preservation: Wetlands play a crucial role in filtering pollutants from agricultural runoff. Protecting and restoring wetland ecosystems can enhance water quality and serve as natural buffers against contamination.

  5. Nutrient Management: Careful management of nutrient application in agriculture can prevent excess nitrogen and phosphorus from entering water bodies, which can cause harmful algal blooms and "dead zones." Precision farming techniques help optimize nutrient use.

  6. Buffer Zones: Planting buffer strips of vegetation along waterways can trap pollutants and prevent them from reaching streams and rivers, improving water quality while providing habitat for wildlife.

  7. Water Recycling: Some agricultural operations employ water recycling systems to reduce the discharge of contaminated water and conserve resources.

  8. Aquaculture and Integrated Farming: Combining aquaculture (fish farming) with agriculture in integrated farming systems can help recycle nutrients and reduce the environmental impact of both sectors on water quality.

  9. Regulations and Best Practices: Governments and organizations often set regulations and promote best management practices to minimize the negative impact of agriculture on water quality. Farmers are encouraged to adopt these guidelines voluntarily.

  10. Research and Innovation: Ongoing research and technological advancements in agriculture aim to develop more sustainable practices that minimize water pollution while maintaining agricultural productivity.

In summary, the interplay between agriculture and clean water is a delicate balance. While agriculture can pose challenges to water quality, it also offers opportunities for positive change. By implementing sustainable practices, improving efficiency, and working in harmony with the environment, agriculture can play a significant role in preserving and enhancing clean water resources for current and future generations.

 

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Related Organisations

Content below is from across the PEP community and is not necessarily endorsed by Stewards or by PEP

Connected Content

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Natural England

The government’s adviser for the natural environment in England. We help to protect and restore our natural world.  

Anglian Water

Anglian Water is the largest water and water recycling company in England and Wales by geographic area. We supply water and water recycling services to almost seven million people in the East of England and Hartlepool.     

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF)

Catchment Sensitive Farming is a free farm advice programme funded by the UK government. It works with farmers, communities, and organisations across England to improve the quality of water, air, and sustainable water management.

Drainage

Field drainage is installed to rapidly remove excess soil water to reduce or eliminate waterlogging and return soils to their natural field capacity. Drains can be used to control a water table or to facilitate the removal of excess water held in the upper horizons of the soil.

CaBA Agricultural Advice Hub

A free to use online data hub building on the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) data package providing spatially relevant local information to farmers, land managers and advisors.

Anglian Water - Working with Farmers

Today’s farmers keenly understand their roles as custodians of our farmed environment. Agriculture is a vital industry in East Anglia, but in the driest region in the UK water supplies are precious and needs safeguarding.  Anglian Water is working closely with farmers to ensure that we maintain healthy water quality as well as healthy crops and a healthy rural economy.

South East Water

We supply top quality drinking water to 2.2 million customers in the south east of England and work with farmers and landowners to protect and enhance river and groundwater quality.

Natural Capital

Natural capital refers to the stock of natural resources and ecosystems that provide essential benefits and services to agriculture. In the context of farming, natural capital encompasses the fertile soil, clean water, biodiversity, pollinators, and healthy ecosystems that play a crucial role in sustaining crop and livestock production. These natural assets are the foundation of agricultural sustainability, productivity, and resilience.

RSK Ltd

RSK is a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions. Our family of over 150 environmental, engineering and technical services businesses works together to provide practical solutions to some of the greatest challenges societies have ever faced.   

Innovation for Agriculture

Innovation for Agriculture (IfA) is an independent knowledge exchange charity that aims to bridge the gap between science and practice. 

CSF Introductory Leaflet - Is your farm fit for the future?

Guide explaining what Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) can do for your business. Catchment Sensitive Farming Advisers work with farmers to produce food in a way that protects water, air and soil; minimising losses and maximising efficiencies. Your CSF Adviser is locally based with an understanding of the challenges farmers face. They will work alongside you to take the latest advice and tailor it to best benefit your business.

Food & Farming Systems

This topic refers to the whole food supply chain, from farm fork, and all the products and services that contribute to food production.

Cover Crops

Cover crops are grown primarily to ‘protect or improve’ soils between periods of regular crop production. They can be effective at improving soil functions by increasing soil nutrient and water retention, improving soil structure/quality, reducing the risk of soil erosion, surface run-off and diffuse pollution by providing soil cover and by managing weeds or soil-borne pests.  

Downforce Technologies

Providing accurate measurements that enable nature based solutions

Soil22 Building farm resilience - bringing efficiency, nature & farm profitability into harmony

Physical and online conference at Harper Adams Soil & Water Management Centre on 7th December.

Southern Water

Landscape Recovery

One of the schemes of ELMs

Great Farm Challenge- Bring this back for agricultural students?

Anglian Water were involved with UK agricultural colleges, CSF, EA and Natural England to run the Great Farm Challenge. This involved interactive workshops and a farm visit with each college. Each college then wrote up a report about their learnings and the students who performed the best were invited to a GFC Final Day to present thier findings. Winners recieved vouchers and a farming press subcription. GFC hasnt run for the last year- is this something the industry would like to bring back?

Nutrient Neutrality

Nutrient neutrality is a new issue of major importance to the UK. There are 74 planning areas in the UK where residential development has been held up until a solution is found to prevent absolute levels of P (reported as phosphorus not phosphate) and N (nitrogen) increasing in order to protect valuable habitats. The ruling is is often referred to as the "Dutch N" case. The calculation is complex and depends on the efficiency and any headroom of existing waste water treatment works (WWTW). WWTW are also to be subject to reductions in permitted nutrient emission in 2030.

How Regenerative Agriculture Can Help Improve Water Quality

An interesting perspective on how Regenerative Agriculture can help improve water quality in catc

Nutrient Management

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Environment

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The Rivers Trust

Diffuse pollution

Diffuse pollution in agriculture refers to the contamination of water, soil, and air by chemicals, nutrients, and other substances that are used or produced in agricultural activities.

Binnies

We are proud of our more than 100-year heritage, helping our clients across the globe efficiently and effectively collect, store, move and treat water and wastewater, plan and manage watersheds and harness the energy embedded in the treatment and movement of water.

Environment Digest

Environment Digest is a quarterly publication that provides a synopsis of recent news, reports and other materials that are of interest to the farming community. With a particular focus on how agriculture links with the environment, each issue focusses on articles across sustainable food production, climate change, water and waste management, soils and biodiversity. Environment Digest principally focuses on stories and policy changes that are relevant to England and/or the UK with a slant towards the arable sector.

Anglian Water Grants

After a successful pilot last year, Anglian Water are widening the Innovation Grant offer this Autumn, with applications open from 17 October-30 November 2022.

Water Use Efficiency

This Topic doesn't yet have a Stewarded summary, but connected groups, content and organisations show below. Click the 'Ask to Join' button if you would like to be a Steward for this Topic and provide a summary of current knowledge and recommend useful resources, organisations, networks and projects. "Like" this Topic if you would like to see it prioritised for providing a wikipedia style summary.

Future Fens - Integrated Adaptation

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Championing the Farmed Environment

A partnership of agricultural, environmental and governmental bodies, promoting good environmental management through productive farming practices.

Cover Crop Open Day

Dyson Farming are trialling a range of cover crop species together with Anglian Water and Boston Seeds. Cover crops benefit soils by protecting them from excess water, ice and wind and also maintain nitrogen levels and other nutrients to benefit the next crop.

Management of clay soils to reduce impacts on water – the evidence base from Allerton Project research

Allerton Project research suggests that there are steps that can be taken to reduce runoff and impacts on water quality.

Protecting Pollinators and Water Resources

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Mitigation Options for Phosphorus and Sediment (MOPS): Reducing Pollution in Runoff from Arable Fields.

The Mitigation Options for Phosphorus and Sediment projects (MOPS) aims to determine the effectiveness of different treatments for controlling diffuse pollution from agriculure.

Rainwater Harvesting Guide

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Waterwise on the Farm

A simple guide to implementing a water management plan

Waste water and drainage on pig farms

Water from farms may be contaminated to different degrees. The level of contamination will determine how they should be managed.

List of Digital tools from FAIRWAY project

Scientific Paper with evaluation of digital tools from

AHDB Field Drainage Guide

Field drainage guide - Principles, installations and maintenance

Translational research in agriculture. Can we do it better?

A major reason for the predominant failure of translational research from laboratory to field is

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