This presentation was given at the 2019 Catchment Management Notwork meeting, which was held on the 11 October in Tullamore. All our local authorities and other bodies responsible for implementing the Water Framework Directive in Ireland attended to share knowledge and learn from each other.

1. Derryvalley
Pilot
Project
Derryvalley
Catchment
Project

2. Why?
Existing measures yielded no significant findings. The Derryvalley
was an ideal sized catchment where the greatest pressure was considered to be
agriculture as a diffuse source.
This initiative fitted in particularly well in Monaghan County Councils overall
Environmental strategy with regard to water quality as per the Corporate Plan.
Obj 2 :“ Develop strategies to strive towards meeting objectives of the water
Framework Directive to improve County Monaghan’s water quality status.”
Aim
•Reduce the concentration of Phosphorus in the river and improve water quality.
Objectives
• Improvement, over time in the management and usage of fertilizers on
participating farms through soil sampling, fertilizer planning and guidance.
• Overall the strategic objective was to help improve water quality and promote water quality awareness through more
sustainable farming practices.

3. - The Derryvalley is a subcatchment of the Dromore River.
- The catchment area is 3475Ha
- Moderate status.
- Scattered vulnerability from low to extreme. Where
vulnerability is high the underlying aquifer is poorly
productive.
- Geology: sandstone & shale till, cutover peat. Bedrock close
to surface in extremely vulnerable areas.
- At risk Catchment, PIP ranking 1-7
- 121 livestock farms and a large percentage of IAE’s
considering the size of the catchment, 23 of which are dairy
& 22 poultry enterprises.
- All farms were surveyed for point source pollution in 2013-
2016.

4. Ballybay

8. Starting off
- Requests to tender for an agricultural
advisor to provide accurate NMP’s in the
catchment – Dec 2016
-McCloskey Agricultural Consultants Ltd
appointed in Jan 2017
-Pre survey meeting with farming
community, Monaghan Co.Co, Mc Closkey
Agricultural and IFA in Jan 2017
- Consultants with a team of 3 immediately
began calling to farms and soil sampling in
January 2017
Information gathered:
1) Farm area
2) Current & projected Livestock
3) Concentrate feed
4) Organic fertilizer imports & exports
5) Land maps (Silage & grazing ground)
6) Soil sampling

9. Teagasc online NMP system used to generate fertilizer plans, which enables consultants to :
• Create whole farm fertilizer plans
• Creates a farm summary of soil fertility and fertilizer requirements
• Creates a plan for fertilizer application on the farm ( both chemical & organic)
• Gives an outline of all livestock on the holding and concentrates fed
• Create land parcel colored maps showing P index, K index ect.
• Detail soil sample results including P & K indices and lime requirements

10. So….. What
did we find?

11. Phase 1
• 46 farms visited, soil sampled and NMP’s
prepared
• 226 soil samples – all grassland
• Sampled for N P & K.
Phase 2
• 22 farms visited, soil sampled and NMP’s
prepared
• 174 soil samples – all grassland
• Sampled for N P & K

12. Phase 1 Phase 2

13. Inde Soil P Index 1
Soil P Index 2
Soil P Index 3
Soil P Index 4
Index
2Index 4
Index 3

14. 3%
97%
Soils in the Optimal Fertility Range
PH 6.2 -6.3. P/K index 3/4
pH > or < P/K index 3/4
What does this mean for the Derryvalley ?
• 3% of soils with optimal conditions. These
soils will have their nutrient utilized more
efficiently and thus less risk of run off or
leaching from the soil.
• 97% of soils are at risk of over fertilization
in the case of high P index soils

15. With the exception of the lower feeder stream at the bottom of the
catchment, all SSRS monitoring carried out since 2008 indicate that
the Derryvalley stretch is at risk and probably at risk.
• Is the Derryvalley being impacted
by herbicide usage?
Short term effects could see changes
in parametric values and nutrient
loads. Long term effects all depend on
the level of habitat destruction
caused. This is still an emerging
science, which is hopefull.

16. DERRYVALLY PILOT PROJECT (MONAGHAN COUNTY COUNCIL & MC CLUSKEY
AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANTS)
The environmental services section of Monaghan County Council would like to thank you for taking
part in this project in the Derryvalley Catchment. We hope that you found the service beneficial and
that you will continue to take account of the nutrient requirements of your holding, whilst keeping
the effort to improve water quality in the Dromore River to the forefront of your practices.
We would appreciate, if you could take the time to fill in the below questionaire.
1. Have you ever had soil analysis carried out on your land before? YES/NO
2. Were you’re soil analysis results as you expected? YES/NO
3. Are there any issues which would prevent you from following the fertiliser plan? eg. poorly
drained land ect.....
4. Are you more aware now of the link between over fertilisation and Water Quality? YES/NO
5. Do you think you would have further soil analysis carried out at your own cost in the future,
if you find this service beneficial?
6. Do you think this plan will save you money? YES/NO
7. If you export poultry manure, would you consider exporting a portion to local farmers with
low soil indices, within the catchment or would the documentation be an obstacle? YES/NO
8. Has your opinion of the work the environment section staff carried out changed since you
signed up for this project. If so how?
Rushy land
Poorly drained land
Yes – very beneficial
No – too costly
Mostly no, but good to see them doing something worthwhile
Yes better opinion

18. Conclusions & Recommendations
• Fertilizer management practices are very poor in the Derryvalley catchment.
• Only 3% of soils in optimal fertility range.
• Indiscriminate fertilization: Grassland will almost always benefit from chemical nitrogen but may not need P
& K. Many farmers continue to spread fertilisers such as Cuts Sward or pasture Sward on high index P & K
soils. Only N will be utilized.
• The first change that participating farmers should implement would be to improve the ph of their soils
before they consider chemical fertilizer. Lime will firstly make soils more fertile and result in a better use of
both organic and inorganic nutrients applied to the soil, reducing the risk of run off and leaching of limiting
nutrients. Secondly it will make grassland swards more productive for farmers.
• Soil analysis should be repeated in 2021.
• Fencing of watercourses and creation of riparian corridors. Currently part of the Glas scheme. Farmers get
paid on a meter basis to put in place these measures.
• The SFP rewards farmers for managing their land to minimum cross compliance standard for production,
animal welfare and the environment. Should GAP regs focus on compulsory NMPs and evidence of
implementation across all farms regardless of size or stocking rate???

19. What Next?