The Environment Agency is currently inviting expressions of interest from groups of farmers interested in participating in trials to create a new way of water trading.
Trials can potentially take place in any of the four priority catchments that have been designated to achieve greater access to water and address unsustainable abstraction.
The designated catchments are:
Idle & Torne – EA contact is Becky Stewart - click here to send an email
South Forty Foot – EA contact is Darren Smith - click here to send an email
Cam & Ely Ouse – EA contact is Ukwuori Fadayiro - click here to send an email
East Suffolk – EA contact is Harri Condie - click here to send an email
The aim is to trial a new approach to water trading in these catchments from Spring 2020 so that we can assess potential demand amongst abstractors, understand how trades could best be administered, and ensure that improved access to water is sustainably achieved.
If the trials are successful, the Environment Agency will roll out the programme nationally in all catchments.
Temporary seasonal trades (TSTs) are designed to help abstractors trade water over a single irrigation season. Abstractors need to apply for these trades during a defined 'trading window'. The proposed initial trading window is March and April 2020, after the EA releases its initial irrigation prospects report.
The aim of TSTs is to allow farmers to assess whether or not they have sufficient licensed volume to meet their needs in the light of the irrigation forecast for the forthcoming season.
If abstractors can make a reasonable case for additional water, then a streamlined assessment process will be used to quickly grant access to that additional water for one season.
Abstractors will have to satisfy a list of general rules and criteria explained in this explanatory guidance note.
The trial will mirror the actual abstraction licensing process, although there will be no application charge.
The EA has created a mock application form, external guidance for trial participants and internal guidance for staff to help in determining the TST requests. It is aiming for a 20 working-day turnaround time for applications.
NFU members interested in participating in this trial should contact their priority catchment officer noted above.
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