Climate NI Infrastructure Conference 6 March 2014 Sustainable Catchment Area Management Planning (SCAMP NI) “a more environmentally sustainable approach to improving water quality” Roy Taylor Catchment Manager Presentation Structure 1) Drinking Water Catchments 2) Objectives of SCAMP NI 3) Three Current Projects 4) Future Plans 5) Conclusions NI Water’s Drinking Water Catchments • 24 Water Treatment Works • 34 Raw water abstractions Presentation Structure 1) Drinking Water Catchments 2) Objectives of SCAMP NI 3) Three Current Projects 4) Future Plans 5) Conclusions Sustainable Catchment area Management Planning (SCAMP NI) Objectives Objective: “To improve the quality and reliability of the raw water received at NI Water’s raw water abstraction points through sustainable catchment based solutions that focus on protecting the natural environment through achieving favourable condition and habitat improvement.” • • • • Erosion, runoff, dried out vegetation Environmental nightmare Poor raw water quality Water treatment difficulties = £££ • • • • Saturated peat, healthy vegetation Enhanced environment Good raw water quality downstream Improved water treatment = savings SCAMP NI Helps Mitigate Against and Adapt to Climate Change Good Carbon WTW Bad Carbon WTW & Extension Consequences: CO2 emission, increased WTW capital & operational cost, reduced storage capacity, reduced summer raw water base flow, river flow more ‘flashy’ SCAMP NI – Approach to Project Scoping & Delivery DARD Farming Groups e.g. UFU Forestry Service DRD DWI Ulster Wildlife Trust Mourne Heritage Trust RSPB Woodland Trust Community Groups NIEA SCAMP NI Steering Group • • • • • • • Reduced or Delayed WTW capital costs SCaMP Project Delivery Land m anagem ent W o o d la n d cre a tio n B la n ke t b o g re sto ra tio n H e a th la n d m a n a g e m e n t In va sive sp e cie s co n tro l W ild fire p re ve n tio n P e sticid e C o n tro l Reduced operational WTW costs Increased Water Quality Compliance Consider best Catchment Practice from UK Water Industry Increased Environmental Compliance Presentation Structure 1) Drinking Water Catchments 2) Objectives of SCAMP NI 3) Three Current Projects 4) Future Plans 5) Conclusions Garron Plateau Blanket Bog Restoration • • • G arron P lateau contains the m ost extensive area of intact upland blanket bog in N Ireland B lanket bogs are one of the m ost im portant habitats found in Ireland, if not globally. H om e to rare w ildlife – S phagnum m oss, hen harrier, golden plover, snipe, red grouse, etc Dungonnell WTW – Catchment Details: • ‘D irect C atchm ent’ – a single im pounding reservoir • ‘Indirect C atchm ent’ - intake from Inver R iver and C ollin B urn • In total 2,000 hectares catchm ent - all ow ned by N I W ater • 4 rivers feed into the reservoir and in turn, these rivers are fed by other stream s. • C atchm ent consists entirely of bogs and m arshes • N o dw ellings in the catchm ent Garron Plateau – The blanket Bog What are the problems? • Over-grazing – R e d u ce s th e m o u n t o f ve g e ta tio n co ve r a n d le a d s to la rg e a re a s o f b a re p e a t • Drainage – In te rce p ts a n d d ive rts o ve rla n d flo w to re m o ve w a te r ra p id ly fro m th e p e a tla n d syste m . • P e a t cu ttin g , b u rn in g , re cre a tio n , clim a te ch a n g e , in va sive sp e cie s, fo re stry, e tc. Project Objectives… • R e sto re G a rro n P la te a u A S S I to fa vo u ra b le co n d itio n • E n su re a p p ro p ria te g ra zin g le ve ls to p re ve n t issu e s su ch a s p e a t e ro sio n • B lo ckin g d ra in s to p re ve n t p e a t e ro sio n , im p ro ve ra w w a te r q u a lity a n d re sto re h yd ro lo g y. • In fo rm a tio n sh a rin g w ith sim ila r p ro je cts in N Ire la n d Dried out & damaged peatland Damaged ecosystems & loss of habitats Poor raw water quality & expensive water treatment Garron Plateau – Drain Blocking Methods Peat Dams T his involves rem oving short strips of vegetation from either side of the drain. T he underlying peat is then used to create the dam and the vegetation is placed on to the top of the dam . Heather Bale Dams O nly possible w here there are large areas of heather adjacent w here it can be cut and baled Plastic Curtain A sheet of plastic that w ill insert vertically into the ground to prevent lateral w ater m ovem ent Stone Dams O n larger drains stone are used to block and slow the w ater velocity The Water Catchment Partnership Derg WTW – Catchment Details: • E xtensive river catchm ent – upper reaches of the catchm ent are in the R epublic of Ireland • C atchm ent A rea > 32000 H ectares • T he catchm ent is a rural area, predom inantly pasture w ith areas of forest, bogs and heathland in the upper catchm ent • M ain R isks – S lurry, silage, N utrients & P esticides Partnership Aims: • P rom ote best practice guidelines in the use of pesticides to all users • R educe levels of pesticide in W ater particularly drinking w ater catchm ents through education and voluntary initiatives • D erg C atchm ent pilot area of need The Water Catchment Partnership • • • • • • • • • Delivering the message...so far E ngaged farm ing com m unity at events and show s: O m agh A gricultural S how C logher Valley A gricultural S how C afre S oil and S w ard event -G reenm ount and E nniskillen C A F R E H ill farm ing events - G lenw herry and N ew tow nstew art C atchm ent w ide postal drop E ngaged suppliers, local m erchants O pen days at D erg W T W ’s F arm visits Eastern Mournes Wildfire Project N um ber of drought periods over the last decade, duration and m axim um drought period per year • D irect C orrelation betw een W ildfire events and severe drought periods • O ver the last decade the num ber of severe drought periods are increasing slow ly but significantly since 2005 • A t the sam e tim e the total num ber m inor drought is slightly decreasing. • W ith m ore periods of drought the potential fire season is getting longer Mournes Fire Group Wildfire Advisory Service Report recommended establishment of an Eastern Mournes Fire Group. This group would: • D evelop expertise and know ledge to m anage the w ildfire risk • S hare responsibility of intervening at w ildfires • P rovide financial & practical support to the N I F ire & R escue S ervice • Train & equip land m anagers to provide an initial response team • A id stakeholders in form ing a collaborative response to w ildfire Photo Mark Pearce A dditionally, • N I F ire & R escue S ervice should consider creating a w ildfire ‘hub’ at an appropriately positioned station. Presentation Structure 1) Drinking Water Catchments 2) Objectives of SCAMP NI 3) Three Current Projects 4) Future Plans 5) Conclusions Future Plans • • • • • • R oll out T he W ater C atchm ent P artnership in a w ider area across N Ireland Liaise w ith D A R D to influence policy tow ards m inim ising pesticide use Liaise w ith U niversity of U lster to research and m onitor best environm ental practice C atchm ent studies in every drinking w ater catchm ent in N Ireland F urther develop relationships w ith stakeholders to identify concerns and opportunities C ontinue to deliver investm ent on a prioritised basis to im prove the w ater environm ent Conclusions SCAMP NI: 1 ) C o n trib u te s to d rin kin g w a te r p ro te ctio n 2 ) C o n trib u te s to th e W a te r F ra m e w o rk D ire ctive (W F D ) O b je ctive s 3 ) C o n trib u te s to th e N I B io d ive rsity A ctio n P la n 4 ) H e lp s m itig a te a g a in st, a n d a d a p t, to C lim a te C h a n g e 5 ) E n a b le s risk b a se d a p p ro a ch e s to so lu tio n s Successful delivery will only possible through: 1 ) S ta b le lo n g te rm stra te g ic d ire ctio n & fu n d in g 2 ) Im p le m e n ta tio n o f n e w w a ys o f w o rkin g a n d in n o va tive so lu tio n s 3) All stakeholders continuing to working closely together
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