General National Id UK_04 Site name Exmoor Summary The Exmoor Mires project is part of a wider Upstream Thinking programme initiated by the local water company South West Water (SWW) to use land management to tackle problems of water quality and quantity across South-west England. The benefit to SWW is in potentially reducing the costs of water treatment. Demonstration of success will allow SWW to approach the regulator (OFWAT) for permission to develop PES schemes to deliver these benefits in future. The Exmoor Mires project involves peatland restoration through blocking historic drainage ditches with a target of restoring 2000 ha by 2015. The primary benefits of the project have been to reduce runoff (32%) and increase water storage (additional 364 m3/ha). The success of the project has been aided by the land ownership and public engagement by the Exmoor National Park Authority and support from other public agencies and research from universities. Light or indepth? Light NUTS Code Dorset and Somerset RBD code UK08 Transboundary 0 Data provider Alistair McVittie, SRUC Source(s) Upstream Thinking - Exmoor Mires Project Initial changes in hydrology and water quality following restoration of a shallow degraded peatland in the South west National River Flow Archive UK Soil Observatory Peat bog restoration work holds back water, scientists say Assessing the impact of mire restoration on agricultural productivity: An interim progress report Memorandum of agreement concerning the Exmoor Mires Project Review of the Exmoor Mires Restoration Project Final Report NWRM(s) implemented in the case study Wetland restoration and management Longitude -3.757 Latitude 51.129 Site information Climate zone cool temperate moist Mean rainfall 1581 Mean rainfall unit mm/year Mean runoff 1327 Mean runoff unit 450 - 600 mm Average runoff coefficient 0,839999973773956 Type Case Study Info Monitoring maintenance Monitoring impacts effects 1 Monitoring location Catchment outlet Monitoring parameters Discharge, water table, DOC, colour, pH Performance Performance impact estimation method Catchment outlet Performance impact estimation information Water qunatity: In-situ depth to water table measurements at >200 locations across 8 †œexperimental pools† and within 3 headwater catchments. Discharge quantified for 7 drainage features and at 3 catchment outlets. Meteorological variables are recorded at each catchment. Water quality: Storm-flow sampling using ISCO pump sampler DOC measurements (UV spectrophotometer) Colour: UV - vis Spectrometer (Abs 400nm; Fulvic/Humic ratio (E4/E6)) pH Design & implementations Application scale Field Scale Area (ha) 714 Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha) 714 Constraints None Favourable preconditions The project has involvement from a number of key stakeholder groups including South West Water (as part of its Upstream Thinking Programme), academic researchers, land owners (Exmoor National Park Authority). There has also been a history of re-wetting projects in the the surrounding area. Design contractual arrangement Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name Contractual agreement Memorandum of agreement concerning the Exmoor Mires Project Design consultation activity Activity stage Key issues Name Comments Implementation phase Project website http://upstreamthinking.org/index.cfm?articleid=8699 Implementation phase Online, classroom and outdoor educational materials and activities http://www.exmoormires.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=9633 Implementation phase Outdoor events and activities http://www.exmoormires.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=11396 Implementation phase Volunteering opportunities http://www.exmoormires.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=10819 Design land use change Land use change type Design authority Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments Regional / sub-national water authority Financing South West Water SWW is a private sector water company covering the South West of England. Its role has been to finance the project. Other Implementation Exmoor National Park Authority ENPA is a land owner within the National Park including project sites. ENPA is responsible for delivery of the project with funding from SWW Other Financing Natural England NE is the national agency responsible for agri-environment funding and advice. Their role in this project is to fund captial works through agri-environment scheme measures Other Other English Heritage EH will provide advice on matters relating to the historic environment and provide project steering Other Monitoring Environment Agency The EA will provide hydrological data and analysis and has a role project steering NGO Monitoring University of Exeter UoE is providing research and monitoring of hydrological and GHG impacts together with UoB and EA NGO Monitoring University of Bristol UoB is providing research and monitoring of hydrological and GHG impacts together with UoE and EA Lessons, risks, implications... Key lessons This is an ongoing project of moorland rewetting involving blocking of existing drainage ditches, as such monitoring of impacts on water quality, water flow, habitats and greenhouse gases has not been completed. However, preliminary results for water quality and quantity are encouraging with storm water run-off reduced by 32% and the average depth to the water table level reduced. The project is a continuation of an exiting partnership between the regional water company (South West Water), the Exmoor National Park Authority (also the landowner) and national agencies (Natural England, Environment Agency, English Heritage). There is also academic input (Universities of Exeter and Bristol) into monitoring of inputs. Financing mechanism 1 Financing mechanism information The measures are currently funded through agri-environment payments for moorland management. If benefits can be demonstrated the hope is to get regulatory approval to develop PES schemes with payments coming from water companies. The UK Peatland Code is also in development, this focuses on GHG impacts but water co-benefits may be important in developing the PES market. Financing difficulties 0 Financing difficulties information If agri-environment scheme funding was not available SWW would have paid for implementation Success factor(s) Success factor type Success factor role Comments Successful coordination between authorities main factor Financing Financing type Comments EU-funds: Rural development funds The capital costs of the measures themselves are funded through agri-environment payments. Private funds Project management is funded by SWW Barrier Barrier type Barrier role Comments Legal obligations / restrictions main barrier SWW is subject to regulatory constraint (OFWAT) regarding investments such as NWRM. The benefits need to be demonstrated to secure regulatory authorisation to continue restoration work and develop PES schemes Driver Driver type Driver role Comments Organisation committed to it main driver Financing share Financing share type Share Comments Policy, general governance and design targets Policy description Digging of drainage ditches over decades has resulted in drying out of blanket peat bog, re-wetting is being undertaken through blocking drains to increae retention of water and carbon Policy target Target purpose Runoff control Increase Water Storage Pollutants Removal Oher Societal Benefits Policy pressure Pressure directive Relevant pressure Policy area Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments Policy impact Impact directive Relevant impact Policy wider plan Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments Regional Water Upstream Thinking Upstream Thinking is an initiative run by South West Water in South West England that aims to improve water quality and quanitity through improved land management in upper catchments. The benefit to SWW is in potentially reducing the costs of water treatment. Demonstration of success will allow SWW to approach the regulator (OFWAT) for permission to develop PES schemes to deliver these benefits in future. Policy requirement directive Requirement directive Specification Socio-economic Direct benefits information South West Water report that reduced silt level in water could reduce treatment costs for drinking water by 20%. Research is ongoing with respect to agricultural impacts. These include sward quality for grazing (potential for higher and more uniform water table to improve dry matter and digestability, metabolisable energy and crude protein levels) and levels of parasites (reduction in tick numbers at one restored site; reduced habitat suitability for the snail host of liver fluke). Impacts of re-wetting on cattle movements are to be studied Costs investment information The land is under Higher Level Stewardship scheme and would be eligible for measures including "Maintenance of Moorland†Ÿ (HL9) or "Restoration of Moorland†Ÿ (HL10) at £40/ha (€47.2/ha at £1 = €1.18) plus a £10/ha (€11.8/ha) supplement for "Moorland re-wetting†Ÿ (HL13). This would either be paid under the HLS agreement or by the project (i.e. no cost to the land owner) Costs land acquisition information Land is owned by the Exmoor National Park and tenanted for farming Costs total 2600000 Costs total information This is the total funding commitment (£2.2m at £1 = €1.18) by South West Water for the Exmoor Mires project between 2010 and 2015. This is part of the wider £9.1m Upstream Thinking programme in South West England. The Exmoor Mires project has a target of 2000ha of moorland restoration by 2015. The value relates to total project costs, not the installation of costs of the NWRM Ecosystem impact climate regulation Impact on GHGs (net emissions and storage) including soil carbon Biophysical impacts Increased water storage 364 Increased water storage unit m3/ha Information on increased water storage Based on 260000 cubic meters of additional water storage in peat over a restored area of 714 ha Peak flow rate reduction 32 Peak flow rate reduction unit % Information on Peak flow rate reduction Storm flow production is reduced to approximately 32% of its pre-restoration level, following catchment restoration Maintenance baseflow 1 Information on Maintenance baseflow Base flow volumes vary between approximately 201% and 48% of pre restoration levels Reduced depth to groundwater level 0,0184000004082918 Information on Reduced depth to groundwater level Average decrease in depth to groundwater (during non rainfall-runoff event periods) with a range of 0.0103 to 0.0265 m Ecosystem erosion control 0 Information on Water quality overall improvements No significant effect of restoration on DOC and colour concentrations. The observed decrease in storm flow at the scale of the catchment would result in lower DOC fluxes Soil quality overall soil improvements N/A info Full Context Collection(aka Doorway or Gallery) Case Studies Pathway(aka Context) Default view Area(aka Level or Site) ALL