Water is an amazing habitat and can be home to a diverse range of organisms. However, water quality is an ever-growing issue in our water courses. In areas where water is located near to farmland or industrial estates, freshwater is more vulnerable to pollution from run-off or leaching of nutrients like phosphates and nitrates through the soil.
Find out how a local farming group explored different solutions to overcoming these issues.
Libby Keysell
The Leam and Upper Avon Sustainable Farming Group (LUASFG) were joined by experts from the Environment Agency (EA) in May to learn about water quality and how ecological data can be collected to identify issues such as:
This includes investigating the populations of tiny invertebrates that are living in our freshwaters and how their presence (or absence) can tell us a big story about water quality.
The EA highlighted some stark statistics, including the fact that 54% of all rivers in the UK have high phosphate levels, with 56% of river catchments across the Leam being classed as ‘poor’ because of nutrient enrichment.
Libby Keysell
The session began at Bourton Draycote & Frankton Village Hall with a talk on how freshwater invertebrates can be used as positive or negative indicators of water quality.
We then discussed what can be done on-farm to reduce pollution and offer a ‘quick win’ for improving local waterways. This included introducing woody debris to waterways to create shelter for aquatic invertebrates, remove nutrients and form a habitat for fish.
Another suggestion was to sow buffer strips along river margins which will slow the flow of water when the river is in flood, improve water quality by filtering nutrients from any run-off and increase biodiversity.
The talk was followed by a hands-on session at a nearby farm, giving attendees the opportunity to carry out kick-sampling for themselves and identify common species found within the Leam catchment.
Libby Keysell
During their surveys, the EA collect invertebrates by kick sampling – a method that disturbs the riverbed and collects invertebrates as they flow downstream - at set points along river catchments and identifying the invertebrate groups that they find in their nets.
Each invertebrate group is assigned a score depending on their ideal habitat conditions (whether they prefer cleaner water habitats or not). The overall quality score is given based on and average score from all the invertebrate data they collect within a catchment.
Libby Keysell
The practical session brought to life a lot of the learning from the talk. It was particularly interesting to see the number of different larvae that were collected within the sample.
A good example is the caddisfly larvae which is an indicator of good water quality (positive indicator). Caddisfly larvae are sometimes quite difficult to spot as they create portable homes by collecting sand, pebbles and twigs and encasing their whole bodies with them. This helps to protect themselves from predators and from being dragged downstream in strong currents.
We also spotted a tadpole that was just starting to develop its legs!
The Leam & Upper Avon Sustainable Farming Group (LUASFG) is one of Warwickshire’s three sustainable farming groups organised by Warwickshire Rural Hub and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
Our Farm & Wildlife Advice Service regularly attends the group events and works closely on the farms of many of the groups’ members. Groups are farmer-led, meaning that the topics covered are requested by the farmers themselves.
If you are a farmer or landowner in Warwickshire, Coventry or Solihull, these groups are a great opportunity to network and share knowledge with like-minded people and get support from our partner organisations and guest speakers.
Best of all, it is completely free!
For more information, visit Warwickshire Rural Hub’s website, or email info@ruralhub.org.uk to join your local group now.
