ricardo-aea © ricardo-aea ltd presentation to: horticulture wales ricardo-aea kate ody date: june...

Ricardo-AEA

© Ricardo-AEA Ltd

www.ricardo-aea.com

Presentation to: Horticulture Wales

Ricardo-AEAKate OdyDate: June 2015

Water Management Factsheet

© Ricardo-AEA LtdRicardo-AEA in Confidence2

• Who are Ricardo-AEA?

• Why is water management important?

• What are the legislative requirement associated with water management?

• What can horticultural businesses in Wales do to improve efficiency?

• What can horticultural businesses in Wales do to improve water quality?

• Questions and Answer session

Presentation overview:

© Ricardo-AEA LtdRicardo-AEA in Confidence3 Ref:ED[Category]/Issue Number 1

Ricardo-AEA Overview

•We help our clients resolve the complex environmental challenges and realise economic opportunities from the sustainability agenda.

•We work with governments, public bodies and businesses to help them with their policy, investment, and operational decisions, and with practical implementation.

•Over 430 scientists/consultants in the following practice areas:

– Energy and Climate Change– Air Quality and Environment– Resource Efficiency and Waste Management– Sustainable Transport– Water– Chemical Risk

Ricardo-AEA Commercial Services

AuditOpportunity identificationCost-benefitPrioritiseBenchmarkImplementation managementVerificationSecondments

Carbon reduction assessment

Carbon foot-printing (product and organisation)

Carbon reporting Carbon disclosure Carbon assurance Carbon regulation and

policy Renewables

Sustainability strategy assessment

Sustainability policy Supply chain engagement CSR annual reporting Resource productivity (Life

Cycle Assessment and supply chain)

Business resilience Resource security Climate change adaptation Biodiversity Stakeholder engagement Cultural change

Customer maturity

Our services for the commercial sector vary depending on the maturity of the client position regarding sustainability, and also their commercial drivers; often we will be engaged across a range of technical / subject areas as clients develop their requirements

Energy ManagementWater ManagementWaste ManagementFuel ManagementChemical Management

Water Resource Management

Our growing team of water management experts is providing the following services to businesses and governments around the world.

Water efficiency services and advice• Large scale nationwide programmes• Commercial and domestic auditing• Water efficient products and markets

• Water Technology List• Benefit of retrofitting water eff devices• Market Transformation Programme

• Water efficiency training

Policy support and research• Abstraction reform• Water resources management• Climate change and adaptation• Drought and flood risk• Water quality

• Biodiversity / ecosystem services

• Water and energy

• Water sensitive urban design/ Integrated Water Resources Management


• Figure 1: Water resource availability (% of the time) in Wales3

Why is water management so important?

• Water is essential for the economy, environment and society

• Climate change and population growth increase the pressure on water resources in Wales

• Although occupying only 4% of UK crop area they are high value crops

• Reliant on water for irrigation

Horticulture & Water


Water quality

The EU Water Framework Directive sets out quality standards for rivers and lakes and reviews both chemical and ecological status of the waterbody.

•Just over a third of waterbodies in Wales are currently classed as achieving ‘good ecological status’

•Diffuse pollution to ground and surface water bodies can come from nutrients, pesticides and sediment

•Impacts can be financial, environmental and social

•Natural Resources Wales have interactive maps to provide information on the WFD and water quality at: http://waterwatchwales.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk/en/

Why is water management so important?

Figure 2: Ecological status of potential of surface waters in Wales, 2012 classification3


Water Quantity

Abstraction Licences

•7% of waterbodies in Wales are unable to provide a reliable source of water supply

•Currently 1,100 abstraction licences in Wales

•Requirement if you take more than 20m3 / day

•Abstraction licence reform – changes expected

Water Quality

Water Resources Act 1991

You must not knowingly permit a discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to ground or surface waters.

Some water discharge activities are allowed following the issue of a environmental permit from the regulating body.

What are the legislative requirement associated with water management?


Water Quality

Water Framework Directive

•River basin management Plans

•Covers all waters and sets clear objectives and timeframes for improvements

•Allows enforce measures of point source and diffuse pollution if not covered under other legislation

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ)

•2.4% of Wales in an NVZ

•Controls applications of nitrogen fertilisers and organic materials

UK Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) regulations 2012

•Purpose to reduce the risk of pesticides on human health and the environment

•Horticulture Wales Factsheet

http://www.horticulturewales.co.uk/UserFiles/Plant%20Health%20and%20Pesticides/SUD%20Factsheet.pdf

What are the legislative requirement associated with water management?


With the increasing pressure on water resources it is vital to take measures to ensure the viability of your business by understanding the water requirements.

•What is your water source?

•How much water do you use?

•Where do you use water?

This can protect the water environment but also lead to business cost savings.

What can horticultural businesses in Wales do to improve efficiency?

Secure Water Supply•Rainwater harvesting from building roofs

•Reuse water e.g. from farm or crop processing activities

•Install Leak detection systems

•Water storage

•Abstraction Licences


Every business should have a water management plan:

•Short term seasonal plans – scheduling of water based on crop

•Long term business plans – investments in water infrastructure

•Drought plans – contingency to prioritise higher value crops

A plan should detail a range of areas including rainfall patterns and equipment maintenance but it should also include a water budget which accounts for:

•Estimates stored soil water

•Evapotranspiration rates

•When plant growth is affected by water shortage

•When irrigation is needed

•How much water is required

•Over irrigation to prevent nutrient leaching

•Accounts for Abstraction licence allowance

Water Management Plans


Irrigation

Understand the water requirement of your crop e.g. strawberries 0.5l/plant/day

Understand the efficiency and limitations of your irrigation system

•Irrigation coverage

•Droplet size

•Coefficiency of Uniformity

•Capital costs

•Recurrent costs e.g. energy

•Labour

•Co:benefits e.g. fertigation

What can horticultural businesses in Wales do to improve efficiency?


• Leak detection

• Map water lines

• Train staff

• Install water meters and water use monitoring systems

• Use timers and soil moisture sensors

• Prioritise water use e.g. irrigation

• Irrigation schedules matching soil moisture measurements

• Irrigate at night to avoid evapotranspiration

• Improve soil structure

• Rainwater harvesting

• Winter storage reservoirs

• Use and upgrade to water efficient technology where possible

Water quantity mitigation measures

Drought / reduced water availability


Winners of a UK Water Efficiency award

•Installed a rainwater harvesting system

•Reduced mains water use by 17,000m3/year

•Installed Evaposensors

•Biological water cleaning – gravel beds and oxygenation

Case Study – Lowaters Nursery


To reduce pollution from your horticultural crops consider the 3 principles

•Stop or reduce the pollution at its source

•Break or slow the pollution pathway

•Protect the receptor (waterway)

What can horticultural businesses in Wales do to improve water quality?

Planning and Support

•Soil management plan

•Nutrient management plan

•Integrated pest management plan

•Qualified advisors


• Buffer strips / field corners

• Inter row cover

• Cultivation timings and techniques

• Sediment traps

• Strategic placement of woodland and riparian plants

Water quality mitigation measures

Nutrient leaching•Analyse soils to match crop requirements

•Match timings and rates of fertiliser to plant demands

•Calibrate spreaders

Flooding•Minimise soil compaction

•Plan for the drainage of hard surfaces

Surface Run off

Pesticides•Minimise spray drift

•Biobed systems

•Spill kits

© Ricardo-AEA Ltd

www.ricardo-aea.com

T:E: W:

Ricardo-AEA LtdThe Gemini BuildingFermi AvenueHarwell, Didcot, OX11 0QR

Kate Ody

01235 75 [email protected] or [email protected] www.ricardo-aea.com

ricardo-aea © ricardo-aea ltd presentation to: horticulture wales ricardo-aea kate ody date: june...

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