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ASSESSING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFUSE<br />
POLLUTION RISKS IN ORDER TO TARGET AND<br />
PRIORITISE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES<br />
AH Sinclair 1 , A Frost 2 , A Vinten 3 , P Chapman 4 and J MacDonald 5<br />
1<br />
SAC Environmental, Craibstone, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, UK, E-mail: alex.sinclair@<br />
sac.co.uk; 2 Soil and Water, Scotland, 4 Bayswell Road, Dunbar, EH42 1AB, UK; 3 The<br />
Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK; 4 SAC Farm Business<br />
Services, Thainstone Agricultural Centre, Inverurie, AB51 9WU, UK; 5 SEPA, Erskine<br />
Court, The C<strong>as</strong>tle Business Park, Stirling, FK9 4TR<br />
SUMMARY<br />
A targeted approach that focuses on sensitive catchments, such <strong>as</strong> Nitrate Vulnerable<br />
Zones and Bathing Water catchments, is described. Farm audits that consider diffuse<br />
pollution issues <strong>as</strong> a three-stage process, and a treatment train approach to BMP<br />
implementation at each stage in the process are recommended. A simple conceptual<br />
framework for evaluating pollution control me<strong>as</strong>ures is set out and an example of<br />
cost-effectiveness and cost benefit analysis of a buffer strip to reduce total P loading<br />
to Loch Leven is given. Setting up a datab<strong>as</strong>e giving information for each farm type,<br />
on source strength per pollutant, potential mitigation me<strong>as</strong>ures, cost-effectiveness,<br />
loadings mitigated and time scale for efficacy is recommended. A policy matrix, i.e.<br />
a summary of recommended me<strong>as</strong>ures, prioritised and categorised into proposed<br />
appropriate levels of regulation, for mapping of on-farm me<strong>as</strong>ures against policy<br />
instruments, voluntary me<strong>as</strong>ures and potential General Binding Rules (GBRs), etc.<br />
is also proposed.<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
Agriculture is the predominant land use in Scotland, and it h<strong>as</strong> been identified <strong>as</strong><br />
presenting a significant threat to achieving good water status. Forestry is also a major<br />
land use, and it may also place certain water bodies at risk. The consultation paper<br />
‘Diffuse Water Pollution from Rural Land Use’ (Scottish Executive, 2005a) outlines<br />
the current strategy for the control of diffuse pollution. A tiered system of controls<br />
is proposed, developed along similar lines to the Water Environment (Controlled<br />
Activities) Regulations 2005 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current/Q/<br />
rowId/-1#conRow0National. General Binding Rules (GBRs) provide national general<br />
authorisation for those farming activities posing a threat to water quality and will<br />
be b<strong>as</strong>ed on b<strong>as</strong>ic levels of good practice. While this is expected to bring about<br />
improvements, the paper indicates that there would still be problems <strong>as</strong>sociated with<br />
certain pollutants in some catchments. For these are<strong>as</strong> the Executive envisages that<br />
the national Rules would be supplemented by a set of targeted GBRs to apply to<br />
particular land use activities. At the same time, through Land Management Contracts<br />
involving more targeted supportive me<strong>as</strong>ures, the Executive is expected to make<br />
available incentives to promote good practice aimed at achieving good water quality<br />
in Scotland’s rivers, lochs and co<strong>as</strong>tal waters. In some c<strong>as</strong>es change is already<br />
taking place to bring about improvements in the protection of the water environment<br />
through good practice, developed and promoted via the PEPFAA Code (Scottish<br />
Executive, 2005b) and The 4 Point Plan (Scottish Executive, 2004), and by regulation<br />
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