Agenda item

We received a report regarding the latest activities and plans to improve water quality, reduce excess nutrients and help restore the River Wye.

In doing so, the following information was noted:

·          It is widely recognised that coordinated work needs to progress on the restoration of the River Wye and River Lugg to conserve and enhance the catchment’s biodiversity, natural beauty and to enable future sustainable development, in the context of the climate and environment emergency.

·          The Environment Agency (EA), in their River Wye Report (July 22), stress that the issues facing the River Wye and its high phosphate levels are complex and require urgent action by all contributing sectors with a coordinated catchment based approach.

·          Phosphate discharges into the rivers Wye and Lugg originate from 2 main sources; diffuse agricultural pollution (about 60%) and sewage treatment works (up to 40%)

·          The Wye Nutrient Management Board (NMB) have adopted the River Wye Phosphate Action Plan.

·          The NMB Technical Advisory Group (TAG) established 5 sub-groups to progress key themes in the Phosphate Action Plan. The AONB Manager sits on the Innovation & projects sub-group.

·          Herefordshire Council have set up a Phosphates Commission to consider their strategic approach to water quality issues in the Wye & Lugg, with neighbouring local authorities.

·          Monmouthshire County Council recognises its rivers and coast are in crisis and has adopted a Motion for the Rivers and Oceans Action Plan.

·          Significant reduction in nutrient input from all sources is required across the whole catchment, but 5 keys areas, all upstream of the AONB, have been identified with a high proportion of pressures and high phosphate concentrations for targeted investigations, analysis and remedial action.

·          The AONB Unit continues to manage partnership projects and collaborative initiatives including through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, to support farmers and land-managers in and around the AONB.

·          The AONB Partnership winter seminar will focus on issues and activities in & around the AONB that improve water quality, reduce excess nutrients & help restore the River Wye.

·          The Wye Valley AONB Partnership will do everything within its powers, purposes and resources to work with all individuals, groups and organisations to convene, enable and deliver on the restoration, conservation and enhancement of the River Wye and its tributaries, which are one of the central Special Qualities of the Wye Valley AONB.

Having received the report, the following points were noted:

• Wye Valley AONB Unit manages several projects and initiatives, including with EA, NRW, WUF, Herefordshire Meadows and Farm Herefordshire that support and advise farmers to address some of the contributing factors to poor water quality in the Wye, such as reducing soil erosion and agricultural run-off into the river in the AONB.
• Large amounts of action is taking place with many organisations, groups and individuals including Friends of the Lower Wye. The Main organisation is the Wye & Usk Foundation who, as a charity, help coordinate the smaller groups.
• A discussion regarding the current state of the river, including the run off from the spread of poultry waste, concluded that poultry legislation is not fit for purpose and Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1961has failed.
• Information is gathered across the catchment with data gathering every 15 minutes at key points.
• One technical solution is the use of anaerobic digesters for the excess manure.
• Funding is being negotiated with EA to support a winter programme of promotion of water management events to raise awareness with farmers and land managers, with WUF, Herefordshire Meadows and Farm Herefordshire.
• AONB Species Action Plans are being prepared in response to the National AONB Colchester Declaration pledge to adopt species and reverse their decline. Water Crowfoot is one of the Species Action Plans that the AONB Unit will publish in 2023 as an indicator for water quality in the AONB.
• The AONB Partnership winter seminar, in late February or early March, will focus on land management issues in and around the AONB and activities and plans to improve water quality, reduce excess nutrients and help restore the River Wye.  More information will follow regarding this seminar.

We resolved that:

The JAC, as an organisation long aware of the significant decline in the condition of the River Wye, which is so central to the Wye Valley AONB, welcomes the statements and concerted collaborative actions now being declared and advanced by the main stake holders in the Wye catchment, to improve, water quality, reduce excess nutrients and help restore the River Wye and its tributaries.

The Wye Valley AONB Partnership will do everything within its powers, purposes and resource to work with all individuals, groups and organisations to convene, enable and deliver on the restoration, conservation and enhancement of the River Wye and its tributaries, which are one of the Special Qualities of the Wye Valley AONB.