News
Defra Places Limits On Trickle Irrigation System Water Usage
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that limits will soon be enforced on water usage by farmers utilising trickle irrigation systems, which guide water to plant roots by pipe networks instead of sprayers.
What this means, according to the Eastern Daily Press, is that farmers will now have to apply for authorisations during a two-year window that is set to start on January 1st. The organisation states that around 5,000 significant abstractors are currently exempt from licensing rules and 20,000 licensed abstractors have to water their crops inside strict limits to minimise the environmental impact during periods of low rainfall.
Those applying will have to prove that their water needs are consistent with peak abstractions from the previous seven years.
One of the biggest soft fruit suppliers in Britain has already said that it’ll be affected by the rule change. Tim Place, managing director of Place UK (based in Tunstead near Wroxham), explained that one of his biggest worries is that the constraints may well see his water supply turned off during droughts and low river flows to help protect the environment – without any compensation for this available.
“Because we grow protected cropping under polytunnels, we don’t get any rain at all. Sometimes we are irrigating ten times a day – a very small amount, but very frequently. If we keep the root as dry as possible and just give water when it is needed, it is very efficient and we get a much better flavour in our strawberries,” he was quoted by the news source as saying.
Mr Place did note, however, that Place UK will do its best to be efficient if possible in the future and they do agree that trickle should be included under the licensing regime because water needs to be managed appropriately and shared responsibly, without doing any harm to the environment.
Trickle or drip irrigation systems are a much more controlled way of wetting plants, exposing the roots to a direct supply of water. Drip emitters are used that release water in a slow and controlled manner, connected to a water source by a hose. The greatest benefit is the control farmers enjoy via this method and such techniques are highly economical because of how precise they are.
However, crops that are watered using trickle irrigation are unable to withstand periods without access to water. Last year, after Defra unveiled the proposals, representative of the soft fruit sector at AHDB Horticulture Marion Regan observed that coir-type substrates are now being used that have little to no water-holding capacity.
She said restrictions in water availability would have a huge impact on business profits and crop growth, so provisions will have to be made to “accommodate protected crop production” as part of the new licensing regime.
Are you concerned and think you need the help of water management consultants? Give us a call today on 01924 387 873 or email us on info@h2obuildingservices.co.uk