Catchment Management Solution

Question 0

Farming perspective: what can farmers do under the the voluntary initiative in high risk areas?

Answer 0

Yard: - storage (leaks)

• sprayer maintenance
• filling areas - foil cap 21km
• washing dilutes
• disposal

Field

• cracked flows, water table
• runoff, soil erosion
• tramlines
• appl timings
• drift

Question 1

Catchment mgmt solution in Wesum, targeted where?

Answer 1

Costessey Pits intakes - metaldehyde and total pesticides
Lyng Forge - nitrates

Other solutions like treatment too expensive plus increases carbon footprint

25 nitrates schemes > £80m CAPEX and v high OPEX

Question 2

Biobeds - firstly, what are they?

Answer 2

A clay lined holes in the ground filled a mix of straw, peat and topsoil and covered by grass which is fed by an irrigation system connected to a ramp on which the tractor or sprayer stands. The biobed provides a matrix to absorb pesticide and facilitate biodegradation

Question 3

How much pesticide contamination do handling areas account for and how much do biobeds reduce it?

Answer 3

40 -70% and decreases of 10,000 to 100,000 fold

Question 4

Biobed manor Farm, Salle

Answer 4

• treats 15,000L of liquid pesticide waste per yr
• biobed area = 36m2
• (appl process) loading, filling, mixing = small quantities high conc
• (disposal op) wash down = large quantities, Lower conc