Threats

• Diffuse pollution
• Point-source pollution - caused by discharges from industry agriculture etc.
• Dredging - can destroy habitat, should be done in stages one bank at a time
• Channel modification - increases flow, reduces structural diversity leading to reduced biodiversity
• Drought - particular problem in lowland arable landscapes
• Cultervating - results in complete loss of headwater habitat
• Pond Creation - can be detrimental if created in an area of high biological value
• Loss of bank vegetation - stabilises bank, controls water temperature through shading, provides habitat for water vole and kingfisher
  

Action Plan Objectives

OBJECTIVE 1

Promote recognition of the importance of all headwaters and encourage their sympathetic management

TARGET: Ongoing

OBJECTIVE 3

Increase knowledge and understanding of local headwaters.

TARGET: 2003

Action Plan Targets

[see above]

Current Action

Proposed Action

Policy and legislation

Ensure the importance of all headwater streams is recognised in all local structure plans. ACTION SSDC, SCC, EA

Ensure effective liaison in order to promote best land drainage practices for the protection of headwater streams. ACTION: IDB, EA SSDC

Consider the designation of a Nitrate Sensitive Area in South Somerset. ACTION: MAFF, EA

Seek to protect and remediate headwaters through voluntary action by farmers and other landowners. Develop and extend initiatives between farming and conservation bodies. ACTION: EA, ADAS, FWAG, NFU, CLA, WSLO

Discourage inappropriate pond creation (on-line and in wetland areas) likely to compromise biodiversity ACTION: EA, SWT,SSDC, SCC, IDB

Encourage the maintenance and restoration of spill over areas and the retention of wetlands around headwaters. ACTION EA, SWT, EN, EA, FWAG, WSLO

Ensure that all headwaters within SSSIs, Wildlife Trust Reserves and Local Nature Reserves are sensitively managed. ACTION EN, SWT, SSDC, SCC

Encourage farmers to prepare and implement Farm Waste Management Plans in catchments with vulnerable headwater streams. ACTION: MAFF, FWAG, WSLO

Initiate an investigation on a sub-catchment basis which would aim to identify the key issues within the district. Future actions would be based on this. ACTION: EA, EN, SERC.

Ensure that a minimum 20% of General Quality Assessment (GQA) sites sampled for macro-invertebrates fall within headwaters. ACTION EA

A minimum of 10% of chemical GQA sites should be headwaters. ACTION: EA

Undertake river habitat surveys at all headwater GQA sites, starting from biological sampling location and working upsteam. ACTION EA

Consider linking strategies for the expansion of buffer zones to the conservation of the water vole (south Somerset is a stronghold for the species within the county). ACTION: EA, FWAG, WSLO, EN

Incorporate the results of national research where applicable to guide the future direction of the action plan. ACTION: SSDC, SCC, EA, SWT, WSLO, FWAG, IDB

Progress