Catchment-Sensitive Farming: Tackling Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture in England —Policies and Drivers - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 267

contributing factor. They reported a direct positive correlation between river water
bacterial loading and intensity of livestock management. In-stream concentrations of
faecal indicator organisms in two areas of high livestock intensity were four to eight
times higher than in two corresponding areas of low livestock intensity.
River Basin Characterisation maps
River Basin Characterisation (RBC) was the first stage in the WFD management
cycle. It describes the water environment and the human pressures on it, so that the risk
of failing the WFD targets or objectives can be assessed. Characterisation work for WFD
in England and Wales found the following:
Nitrate is a risk for drinking water supplies in 49% of rivers, particularly in England.
Phosphate is a risk for 38% of rivers and 23% of lakes (by area).
Sediment (from eroded soil) is a risk for 21% of rivers.
Eighty-five per cent of groundwater boreholes monitored in 2003 show rising nitrate
concentrations. Many in England are above or approaching the upper limit for nitrate in
drinking water.
(For further details and information see http://defraweb/environment/water/wfd/article5/
index.htm.)
As part of this work the EA estimated the pressures contributing to these risks (see
Figure 2). With regard to agriculture:
Diffuse pollution causes a risk of not achieving WFD objectives by 2015 in 82.4% of
rivers, 53% of lakes, 25% of estuaries, 24% of coastal waters and 75.3% of ground
waters.
Nutrients such as nitrogen (mainly from agriculture) put almost 40% of rivers, nearly
20% of estuaries and over 50 % of groundwaters at risk of not achieving good
ecological and chemical quality by 2015.
Phosphorus accounts for nearly 50% of rivers and 25% of lakes being at risk.
Agricultural pesticides and sheep dip also put 20% of rivers and groundwaters at risk.