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EPA Report: Mitigating Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality through Research and Knowledge Exchange

This research report explores improving water quality affected by agricultural practices using a multi-disciplinary approach.

The WaterMARKE project investigated ways in which the complementary use of research and knowledge exchange can achieve greater uptake of farm-level water quality mitigation measures to improve water quality as required by the Water Framework Directive.

Agricultural activities can impact water quality when nutrients, sediments and pesticides leave the soil and enter our waterways. Nutrients such as nitrogen (nitrates) can leach downwards through light soils into
groundwater, while phosphorus and sediment can be lost through overland flow over heavy/peat soils. In terms of mitigation, the biological mechanisms of nutrient and sediment loss to water are complex and site specific, making them difficult to overcome. Farm mitigation measures to “break the pathway” may be less technologically complex, but may involve the implementation of new practices, facilitated by advisory supports.

Given this context, uncovering the scientific, economic and behavioural barriers that prevent farmers from adopting practices that can improve water quality is critical so that policymakers can shape future strategies more effectively.

Informing Policy
WaterMARKE addressed water quality improvement using a multidisciplinary approach incorporating
(a) systems analysis of the actors and incentives that influence farm practices impacting water quality,

(b) spatial analysis of the effects of rural activity on water quality,

(d) socio-economic and behavioural psychology studies to identify proenvironmental behavioural drivers of water quality improvement.

In particular, the research findings emphasised the importance of innovative and collaborative “system-wide” efforts to foster meaningful change at farm level across government departments, researchers, cooperatives, advisers and farming organisations.

A case study of the impact of increased collaboration and innovation across the system of stakeholders was documented in a short video by WaterMARKE and CAP Network Ireland, which shows the “systemic” collaboration between the Local Authority Waters Programme, the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme and farmers to improve bathing water quality at Lough Ennell, County Westmeath.

Developing solutions
WaterMARKE demonstrated the importance of behavioural drivers in improving farm-level adoption of mitigation measures.
As expected, financial and transaction (hassle, training) costs were barriers to adoption. Loss of productive area (opportunity costs) varied according to farm system and location. Know-how and farmer norms were particularly important drivers of behaviour.
It was found that farmers required adviser support to identify farm-level water quality risks and to understand the technicalities and time/financial resources required to implement measures. Farmers were also more likely to adopt familiar measures that they felt they had the capacity to undertake and would be approved of by other farmers.
Leveraging these positive behavioural drivers could be achieved though group events facilitated by advisers and run jointly with influential farmers who have successfully implemented measures in areas where other farmers are also undertaking measures.

Learn more:

Mitigating Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality through Research and Knowledge Exchange: Research 482: Mitigating Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality through Research and Knowledge Exchange | Environmental Protection Agency
CAP Network Ireland: WaterMARKE – Water Quality Improvement Through Collaboration

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.