This presentation by Jenny Deakin of the EPA Catchments Unit focuses on water quality and agriculture. It looks at: The condition of our waters What are the problems? A closer look at nutrients What are the measures? Challenges and Opportunities It and the accompanying webinar were part of the Teagasc Signpost Series on emissions from agriculture and this webinar was broadcast on 5 June 2020. Further information on water quality is available on www.catchments.ie

1. Water quality in Ireland
Where to from here?
Jenny Deakin and Eva Mockler
With thanks to colleagues from the EPA Water Programme

2. Outline
What is the
condition of
our waters?
What are the
problems?
A closer look
at nutrients
What are the
measures?
Challenges
and
opportunities

3. What is the condition of
our waters?

4. Distribution of
ecological
status
The problems are
widespread

5. Ecological status in 2018
Water body
type
Satisfactory
(%)
Change since
2015
Rivers 53% 5.5% 
Lakes 50% 4.3% 
Estuaries 38% Stable
Coastal 80% Stable
Canals 87% Stable
Groundwater 92% 1% 
Our freshwaters and estuaries are in trouble

6. Trends in river waterbody status
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2007 - 2009 River Water Bodies (n = 2160)
2010 - 2012 River Water Bodies (n = 2278)
2010 - 2015 River Water Bodies (n = 2345)
2013 - 2018 River Water Bodies (n=2355)
% number River water bodies
High Good Moderate Poor Bad
2013-2018
2010-2015
2010-2012
2007-2009
High status are in decline, Moderate/Poor are increasing

7. High status waters
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1987 - '901991 - '94 1995 - '97 1998 - '00 2001 - '03 2004 - '06 2007 - '092010 - '12 2013-'15 2016-'18
PercentageNumberofmonitoredhighstatus
sites
High Status (Q4-5)
High Status Reference Condition (Q5)
Only 20 highest quality sites left out of 500 in the 1980s

8. What is causing the
problems?

9. Good status objective
water bodies
1. Excess Nutrients
2. Morphology
3. Organic pollution
High status objective
water bodies
1. Morphology
2. Excess Nutrients
3. Hydrology
Waterqualityimpacts
Acidification
Chemicals
Temperature
Hydrology
Morphology
Microbiology
Nutrients
Organic pollution
Other
Acidification
Chemicals
Hydrology
Morphology
Nutrients
Organic pollution
Other

10. More of this….
High status, Trimoge River, Co Mayo Photo: B. Kennedy
Good status, Dalgan River, Co Mayo
Photo: B. Kennedy

11. And less of this….
High status, Trimoge River, Co Mayo Photo: B. KennedyModerate status, Lough Inchiquin, Co Clare. Photo: B. Kennedy
Poor status, Broadmeadow, Fingal.
Photo: W. Trodd

12. A closer look at nutrients

13. National Source Apportionment – emissions to water
Based on 2012 DAFM data + 2014 UWW. Currently being updated

14. Phosphorus sources Nitrogen sources
Urban sources of P are
large but are most
important in the coastal
settlement areas.
Elsewhere its mainly
diffuse agricultural
sources
Diffuse agricultural
sources of nitrogen are
much larger than urban
sources

15. High risk for phosphorus loss
Poorly draining soils
Overland flow dominant
Poor correlation with intensity
Need to break the pathway
Lag time weeks to months
High risk for nitrogen loss
Freely draining soils
Groundwater pathway dominant
Strong correlation with intensity
Needs source control
Lag time months to years
N and P behave very differently in the landscape
Mattock catchment, Co. Louth. Photo: J Deakin Nuenna catchment, Co. Kilkenny. Photo: J Deakin

16. Phosphorus
Nitrate
Load + susceptibility
2012 DAFM data –
currently being
updated
Critical source areas – risk of nutrient losses from
diffuse agriculture

17. River water quality 2016-2018
Phosphate Nitrate

18. Regional agricultural nitrogen issues
• In the freely draining catchments in the south
east, nitrogen losses continue to rise, and are
over double the annual losses from the west.
• Agriculture is the main source.
• Spike in losses in 2018 in a drought year. 2020?

19. Regional agricultural phosphorus Issues
• In the poorly draining catchments, phosphorus
losses are rising, and are over double the
annual losses elsewhere.
- Phosphorus

20. Targeted Agriculture Measures
for Water Quality
Measures to reduce phosphorus and
sediment loss
On poorly draining soils - breaking the
pathway between farm runoff and the
receiving waters likely to be most effective.
Measures to reduce nitrogen losses
On more freely draining soils – improved
nutrient management, clover, reduction of
chemical N likely to be most effective.
‘The right measure in the right place’

21. What are the measures?
“The right measure in the right place”

22. 4th Nitrates action programme (NAP) + interim review
5th NAP in preparation
Max 170 kg N/ha manure
Derogation farm 250 kg
N/ha
closed period for spreading of
organic and chemical fertilisers
Max N and P fertilisation rates Minimum manure storage
requirements Green cover requirement on
tillage crops
Bovine herd expanding
Derogation farms must soil
sample and get NMP. 50%
slurry out by June 15
Rules are largely input based Source: DAFM
Baseline standard measures
One size fits all
Can only go so far
Not enough on its own

23. New farm
advisors
Community
water officers
Catchment
scientists
30
+ support staff
The new local ‘boots on the
ground’ targeting action
TOTAL 89
190 Priority
Areas for Action
35
12
WFD River basin management plan – a targeted
approach

24. Monitoring
data
Water quality
problems
Modelling
Stakeholder
knowledge
Significant
pressures
Priority areas
for action
Community
engagement
Stream walks
Co-design
practice
change
Areas for Action process – all pressures together

25. Early signs of progress in the Areas for Action
River WBs in PAAs 2013-2018
303 - no change
132 - improved
51 - declined
Net improvement of 16.7%
River Q values in PAAs 2019
389 - no change
74 - improved
22 – declined
Net improvement of 10.7%

26. Targeting measures for phosphorus:
Riparian zones, buffer strips, engineered ditches, wetlands, ponds.
Co-benefits for biodiversity, sediment, pathogens
Photo: B KennedyPhoto: R Little
Photo: Newcastle University
Photo: W. Trodd Photo: Allerton farm

27. Targeting measures for nitrogen:
Nutrient management planning, soil fertility, protected urea,
clover, less application of chemical N.
Co-benefits for ammonia, green house gases
Photo: B KennedyPhoto: R LittlePhoto: W. Trodd
Photo: Thatsfarming.com

28. Other drivers
It’s a busy landscape!

29. Challenges and opportunities
• Join up the messaging, actions and
supports
• Identify and support measures that achieve
multiple benefits - for water quality, air
quality (ammonia), biodiversity, climate,
natural flood mitigation, amenity and
health and well-being
• Share cross-disciplinary knowledge, data
and training – collaborative working
• Set outcome, results based targets, as well
as activity targets. Track progress towards
them and share the learnings Photo: B Kennedy

30. Thank you
Photo: Emma Quinlan
Find out more on
www.catchments.ie