In order to deliver the project the Lower Saxony partners and the UK partners have identified, in their respective countries, the pilot areas in which WAgriCo will be implemented.
According to the initial characterisation of the WFD nearly 70% of groundwater in Lower Saxony is affected by diffuse pollution from agriculture. This does not mean that Nitrate drinking water quality standards are exceeded but the chemical status of groundwater is decreased in special groundwater bodies.
The representative pilot areas Lager Hase, Große Aue, Ilmenau/Jeetzel approximately cover 300 000 hectares of agricultural land. This is some 65 to 77% of the total area in the pilot areas
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The following table gives a short overview about the agricultural structure in the pilot areas in Lower Saxony.
Pilot Area
|
Lager Hase
|
Große Aue
|
Ilmenau/Jeetzel
|
Area (sq.km)
|
1420
|
1517
|
2052
|
Number of Farms
|
3000
|
1620
|
1640
|
Animal Husbandry
|
67%
|
44%
|
27%
|
Arable
|
14%
|
24%
|
68%
|
Other
|
19%
|
32%
|
5%
|
In the UK, the WAgriCo project is centred on the river catchments of the Frome, Piddle and Wey in South Dorset.
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The WAgriCo study areas within the catchment, shown pink on the catchment plan, are based upon the groundwater catchment areas of the boreholes at Empool, Hooke and Langdon, Winterborne Abbas and Eagle Lodge in the Frome catchment, Dewlish and Milborne St Andrew in the Piddle Catchment and Friar Waddon in the Wey catchment. The groundwaters in these catchments are at risk of non-compliance with the EC Drinking Water Directive and have historically on occasions exceeded the required standard.
These catchments are typical for the area in that they are predominately rolling hillside with few flat fields. The majority of farms within the priority catchments fall within the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone so the amount of organic nitrogen fertiliser (manures/slurries) applied are regulated.
Pilot Cathment
|
Frome
| Piddle |
Wey
|
Area (sq.km)
|
3733
|
1793
|
73
|
Number of Farms
|
450
|
200
|
15
|
Animal Husbandry
|
42%
|
37%
|
42%
|
Arable
|
37%
|
45%
|
42%
|
Other
|
21%
|
18%
|
16%
|
| 
