Water Management

Scotland’s water resource and its quality are of high importance and how we manage land is key to protecting and improving our water resources. While Scotland has always had a plentiful supply of water, it is important that we protect it in this changing climate.

Our rivers are important habitats for a large variety of animals and plants and play a vital role in connecting habitats. Riparian areas and water margins provide shelter, food, shade, and a buffer area to prevent runoff from adjacent fields, helping to prevent pollution from reaching the watercourse. We have a dedicated section on water course management and water margins to equip you with information on what you can do on your farm or croft.

Reducing diffuse pollution risks to watercourses can benefit your business in a number of ways, for example making better use of nutrients in slurry and manure or an improvement in livestock health through cleaner drinking water supplies. It can also help you to stay on the right side of the Regulations and protect farm payments, whilst protecting the surrounding water quality. The Farming and Water Scotland website is a fantastic resource with detailed information on all the relevant regulations to assist you in keeping on the right side of the rules while this page does touch on Slurry and Pesticides specifically.