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EPA launches new online map for Targeting Agricultural Measures

An updated farmer-friendly EPA Map on Targeting Agricultural Measures is now available, which has key information that will help farmers and other landholders understand their local water quality and where action needs to be taken.

The new EPA Targeting Agricultural Measures Map has the following layers:

Status and Monitoring

WFD Ecological Status
- This shows the latest ecological status for all waterbodies in Ireland
National Water Monitoring Stations

Targeting Agricultural Measures

Targeting Agricultural Measures
- This layer shows which actions by farmers have the greatest potential to improve water quality for each area in the country.
  - Navy flag – Target Phosphorus/Sediment losses
  - Navy and Orange Flag: Target Phosphorus/Sediment and Nitrate losses
  - Orange Flag: Target Nitrate losses
  - Red, Orange and Navy Losses – Target Point Source and Phosphorus/Sediment losses
  - White Flag: Protect measures
River agriculture pressures
- This layer shows the rivers where agriculture is a Significant Pressure

Nitrogen / Freely Draining Soils

Pollution Impact Potential – Nitrate (PIP-N)
- This layer shows Nitrate Critical Source Areas (CSA) where there is a source of N from agricultural areas and the land is susceptible to losses.

Phosphorus / Heavy Soils

Pollution Impact Potential – Phosphorus (PIP-P)
- This layer shows Phosphorus Critical Source Area (CSA) where there is a diffuse source of P from agricultural areas and the land is susceptible to losses.
PIP-P Flow Delivery Paths
- Focused Delivery Flow Paths are the areas of converging overland runoff that results in an increasing accumulation of water flowing overland. It is important to consider the available source of phosphorus in these contributing areas when deciding whether to target measures (check the underlying PIP-P rank, see layer above). The red flow paths have the highest surface runoff. Where these cross High PIP-P areas, expect higher P losses.
PIP-P Flow Delivery Points
- Focused Flow Delivery Points are where Focused Flow Paths enter a watercourse. The size of the point indicates the relative volume of flow delivered to water.

Access the EPA Targeting Agricultural Measures Map

https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/agriculture

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.