What the action involves
This action’s aim is to raise the water level throughout the year on permanent grassland with lowland peat soils to between 10 and 30 centimetres (cm) below the mean field surface all year around.
The purpose is to:
- reduce the degradation of lowland peat soils
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions
What you must do
Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.
To get paid for this action, you must:
- maintain water levels between 10cm and 30cm below mean field surface level, across the land entered into the action, all year round by the second year of your agreement
- install dip wells within the first year of your agreement
- record water levels from dip wells each month
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its duration.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if they ask for it.
Where you can do it
You can do this action on eligible land that’s located below the moorland line.
You can only do this action if you have an implementation plan or feasibility study agreed with Natural England.
Land is eligible if confirmed as lowland peat in a feasibility study or implementation plan and with support from Natural England.
You cannot do this action:
- where it would damage priority habitats, protected species or features of archaeological, historic or landscape value, unless you can take approved measures to mitigate this
- where it may increase the risk of flooding or waterlogging outside the agreement area
- where it could damage third party land or buildings, infrastructure or other assets
- if there are conflicts with public access or other uses of the land that cannot be resolved
Eligible land
You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area
Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser – a plan or feasibility study should include a flood risk assessment (if required)
- Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
- to obtain the necessary consents and water resource licences from the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) or Internal Drainage Board (IDB) as appropriate before undertaking any works – for example, abstraction licence, impoundment licence or transfer licence from the Environment Agency
You may need to:
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- get planning consent or permission to divert a public right of way from your local planning authority, if your agreement requires building or removing a flood defence bank
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).
If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.
Capital grants that support it
If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding.
You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.
