SW17: Raised water level on cropped or arable land on peat soils - GOV.UK

Contents

1. How much will be paid
2. Where to use this option
3. Where this option cannot be used
4. How this option will benefit the environment
5. Aims
6. Prohibited activities
7. Recommended management
8. Keeping records
9. Useful additional options and capital items
10. Additional guidance and advice
11. General information
12. Consultations, consents and permissions
13. Other considerations
14. Biodiversity
15. Further information
16. More information for further guidance on landscape management

How much will be paid

£1,409 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on whole or part parcels of arable land or temporary grass, only:

• on land mapped as lowland peat and with support from Natural England (lowland peat does not appear on MAGIC, contact Natural England for details)
• with written support from the Environment Agency, or lead Local Flood Authority, and where relevant the appropriate Internal Drainage Board

Where this option cannot be used

• Where water level changes would damage priority habitats, protected species or features of archaeological, historic or landscape value (unless you can take approved measures to mitigate this)
• Where it may increase the risk of flooding or waterlogging outside the agreement
• Where it could damage third party land or buildings, infrastructure or other assets
• If there are conflicts with public access or other uses of the land that cannot be resolved

How this option will benefit the environment

It will prevent the further degradation of lowland peat soils. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released when peat soils are broken down as well as improving soil health, natural flood management and biodiversity.

Aims

If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

• By year 2, water levels will be maintained between 10cm and 30cm below mean field level
• Use dip wells to keep a monthly record of water levels

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities:

• None

Recommended management

To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.

• Please refer to Aims, Prohibited activities, Additional guidance and advice.

Keeping records

Where there’s uncertainty about whether or not the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept to demonstrate delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

• Record of water levels

Useful additional options and capital items

You can use WT3 Management of ditches of high environmental value where specific ditch management is required to maintain aquatic communities and/or to maintain water supply to the site, but you must measure the area of the ditch and exclude it from the in-field options. You may need the following capital items to help deliver the objectives:

PA1 Implementation plan

PA2 Feasibility study

FM2 Major preparatory works for priority habitats and priority species

WN2 Creation of scrapes and gutters

WN3 Ditch, dyke and rhine restoration

WN4 Ditch, dyke and rhine creation

WN8 Timber sluice

WN9 Brick, stone or concrete sluice

WN10 Construction of water penning structures

RP6 Installation of piped culverts in ditches

RP9 Earth banks and soil bunds

Additional guidance and advice

General information

Water level management can be extremely complex and should always be designed on a site by site basis to make sure that water level targets are appropriate. The levels required will depend on the physical characteristics of the site (particularly geology, soil type/permeability and hydrology) and the target features. You may need a feasibility study and this can be funded via the PA2 capital item.

This option does not specify how you should manage water levels, so you may also need a Water Level Implementation Plan. This should be produced by someone with suitable technical and hydrological knowledge and may be funded via the PA1 Implementation Plan item.

Consultations, consents and permissions

You should seek specialist and/or local advice when using this option. In particular, you must consult the relevant drainage authority (Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Board or local authority), to make sure that the desired outcomes can be achieved and will not have a negative impact on adjacent land and properties, flood management, river and ditch management, water resources and fish migration.

You may need Land Drainage Consent, particularly where changes to infrastructure are required, such as the removal of a flood defence structure (bank or pump) or installation of water control structures.

You may need planning consent, for example, to construct or remove a flood defence bank. You may also need permission to divert a Public Right of Way from the Local Planning Authority.

Other considerations

Land under this option may support or impact upon priority habitats, ditches of high environmental value, priority/protected species and historic/archaeological features. You must consider all these factors when designing a high water level agreement, including any associated capital works.

Biodiversity

This option has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.

The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.

Further information

See the manuals for Mid Tier or Higher Tier to find out more about the scheme and how to apply.

More information for further guidance on landscape management

RSPB advice on re-wetting grassland, including water level management structures and scrapes.

The Wet Grassland Guide: Managing Floodplain and Coastal Wet Grasslands for Wildlife (RSPB Management Guides,1997). J. Treweek (Author), M. Drake(Author), O. Mountfield(Author), Chris Newbold(Author), C. Hawke(Author), P. Jose(Author), M. Self(Author), P. Benstead(Author)

LIDAR data can be downloaded for free from the Defra Data Services Platform.

Published 8 February 2022 Last updated 4 January 2024 + show all updates

1. 18 December 2023

Update to How Much Is Paid

1. 8 February 2022

First published.