Every drop counts: protecting your water

After weeks of unusually dry weather, many of us across farming and rural communities are facing the realities of parched fields and shrinking reservoirs. With the short forecast showing more of the same to come, we would encourage landowners and farmers to put water security and resilience at the forefront.

Dry weather isn’t just a short term inconvenience. With the weather becoming less predictable due to climate change, droughts are expected to become more frequent. For landowners and farmers, this means increased pressure on already stretched water supplies.

Whether you're running a dairy operation, managing a mixed use farm, or stewarding countryside land, here are some key ways to protect your water resources now and in the future.

Create a baseline. This can help you make smarter decisions and identify areas where you can cut back without affecting productivity.

• Where are you getting your water supply from? (e.g. boreholes, streams, mains)
• How much water are you using? (e.g. irrigation, livestock, cleaning, etc)

The quickest and most effective way to protect your water supply is to ensure that your infrastructure is fit for purpose. Having a number of leaks can quickly waste valuable water, and simple upgrades can make a big difference over time.

For useful information on locating leaks, see CLA Guidance Note GN19-24.

The use of efficient irrigation practices such as drip systems or scheduling watering during cooler parts of the day, can significantly reduce evaporation and runoff. To further minimise waste, soil moisture levels can be monitored allowing irrigation systems to be adjusted based on actual needs, rather than a set schedule.

Investment in new and improved equipment can allow you to make more efficient use of water. It is worth being aware that greater efficiency can lower production costs, which leads to increased output, renewing pressure on water resources.

While creating healthy soil will not deliver immediate results, the aim should be to improve your soil organic matter, structure and pH to deliver not only improved soil but improved productivity. Soil health may be improved through practices such as maintaining year-round soil cover, fostering living roots, increasing species diversity, reintroducing livestock, and alleviating compaction.

Collecting and storing water during wetter months is one of the best ways to prepare for dry periods throughout the year.

The real advantage lies in building infrastructure that will support water efficiency in future years, with farmers and landowners considering options like Installing rainwater harvesting systems, and Building or expanding on-farm reservoirs or storage tanks.

In addition to directly sharing water and supporting neighbours, there may also be opportunities to share abstraction rights. This could be in the form of joint ownership of the right, with the Lincoln Water Transfer being an example. Water could be sold to neighbours, but however it is organised, you should think about the water needs and required infrastructure.

In some circumstances, certain uses of water are not essential. Ensure that discussions are held with staff and any third parties who may impact local water sources making it clear that non-essential uses are being avoided.

Private water supplies are becoming more relevant for farmers and landowners following the dry weather we have so far experienced this spring, with options such as springs and boreholes to support agricultural and land management activities. Responsible water stewardship not only safeguards livelihoods, but also helps maintain the resilience of local ecosystems and shared catchments.

For more information please see the CLA Guidance Note GN19-24.

Farmers are reminded that they need to comply with The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018. The business should have a proportionate nutrient management plan, not only to protect water quality, but also to maximise profit by efficiently using valuable resources and protecting your soil.

Many will naturally be complying with the rules but there is no substitute to being able to demonstrate compliance and to take steps to continually improve farming operations.

Where members have tenants, licensees, contractors or staff working the land you should be aware, with a paper trail, that the farming rules for water must be followed.

Water supplies are fragile, as this dry spell has reminded us, but by taking steps to protect and manage water use, you are not just safeguarding your own operation but contributing to the wider environment and future generations.