3 no. BAWAG members projects included in the EAs Local Resource Option (LRO) screening study programme, for farm clusters in the lower Bure, tidal Bure and Nar catchments. Work will involve review of water resource planning issues for each group, with the development and appraisal of options for maintaining water supplies. Studies due to be completed late 2024/early 2025. Entry added: 25 Sep 2024 |
Work on the next phase of the NSA programme approved by the Committee at a meeting on September 19 2024. This will involve using an updated version of the EAs northern East Anglian chalk (NEAC) regional groundwater flow model to map vulnerability to licence reductions and help prepare 25-year agricultural water resource management plans (WRMPs). Details on Planning Group meetings and workshops to follow. Entry added: 25 Sep 2024 |
September 2024 Newsletter has been issued to members, with updates on the Norfolk Sustainable Abstraction (NSA) programme, the latest on our transition to Norfolk Environment Food and Farming, the Broads Water Level Management project and work on the EAs licence reviews in the Broads and elsewhere. Entry added: 25 Sep 2024 |
NSA planning workshops are currently being scheduled for September & October 2024. Full details will be in emails to be sent to members shortly. Entry added: 06 Aug 2024 |
BAWAG has reached the mid-point of the Lowland Peat Water Discovery Pilot (LAPWDP) Broads Water Level Management project with partners the Broads Authority, Cranfield University and Norfolk FWAG. Reporting to the rest of the LAPWDP project teams at a mid-term webinar, the project team were able to report good progress against project milestones and give details of the new approach to opportunity mapping that has been developed. Future water availability for peat re-wetting remains an issue, which BAWAG will be working to help resolve over the remainder of the project. Final reporting for the project starts in December 2024. For more details contact Steve Moncaster. Entry added: 06 Aug 2024 |
Defra announced today (April 22 2024) that it is accepting applications for grants from a fund to help farmers manage water resources. The grant will pay for consultants to evaluate alternative options for securing water supplies. Details are here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-water-resources-options-screening-studies-how-to-apply Entry added: 22 Apr 2024 |
Date of next Committee meeting is June 14 2024 (Friday). The meeting is being held at the AF Group Offices at Honingham Thorpe and will start at 2pm. Agenda and papers to be circulated closer to the time. Entry added: 22 Apr 2024 |
EA 2024 Irrigation Prospects report added to website - see Environment Agency section for details Entry added: 01 Apr 2024 |
EA Ant Valley & Broads SAC update for January 2024 uploaded to website - see Environment Agency section for details. Entry added: 01 Apr 2024 |
Environment Agency has just published the "irrigation prospects" for the 2024 season. Not surprisingly given all the rain we've had, these are "good". They have also just published their summary of the water company and regional planning group revised draft 2024 Water Resource Management Plans. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-review-of-englands-draft-regional-and-water-resources-management-plans & contains an interesting figure showing 2025 reductions in water company abstraction linked to Environment Destination - worth a look! Entry added: 01 Apr 2024 |