NFU Scotland has written to the Scottish Government and SEPA calling for a high level meeting to discuss watercourse management following significant flooding in parts of Scotland.

Whilst Scotland has not suffered flooding to anything like the same extent as parts of England and Wales, there are many individual farmers who have experienced significant damage and losses in one of the stormiest winters in some areas of Scotland.

The Union has been receiving calls from members hit by flooding since late December 2013 and the number now affected by the high rainfall is increasing.  Many of those contacting the Union feel that the rules around watercourse management and practices such as dredging are confusing, expensive and restrictive.

NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller has today (Friday, 14 February) written to Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse and SEPA Chairman, David Sigsworth asking for regulations and guidance to be examined in light of problems this winter.

In the letter, Mr Miller wrote:

“I have watched with dismay as farmers and rural residents in many parts of England and Wales have battled with flooding over recent weeks. Whilst Scotland has not suffered to the same extent, there are many farmers who have individually experienced significant damage and losses.

“This, coupled with a groundswell of opinion that regulation of management of watercourses is too confusing, expensive and restrictive – and is thus reducing the resilience and productivity of Scottish farming – means that I feel the time has come for a review of this issue here in Scotland.  

“NFU Scotland welcomed the changes made to the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) in 2012/3 as a step in the right direction.  This included a new registration for removal of parts of dry gravel bars, increasing the registration threshold for previously straightened watercourses from three to five metres, and the introduction of catchment licences.

“However, further change is essential if Scottish agriculture is to remain productive and viable under a changing climate. Due to years of restrictive, expensive and confusing regulation, a large number of farmers have heavily silted or gravelled watercourses, which are negatively impacting on field drainage and watercourse carrying capacity.

“This is reducing the productivity of farm land, increasing the diffuse pollution risk, and increasing Climate Change emissions.

“There are also numerous instances of damage to flood banks caused by overly restrictive regulation of management of gravel bars.  Repair of these defences will be extremely expensive, and in the meantime the flood risk in the vicinity is increased.  

“It is highly likely that higher rainfall and more extreme rainfall events will typify our future climate here in Scotland. NFU Scotland therefore calls on Scottish Government and SEPA to engage in discussion about how to rebalance regulation of the management of watercourses, rather than waiting for events to bring about a crisis situation that affects our members, taxpayers, and government.

“Alongside this, NFU Scotland would like to see substantive progress on implementing payments/mechanisms for farmers to do natural flood management, as progress to date on this has been disappointing.”  

Mr Miller has invited interested parties to meet at their earliest convenience and agree a course of action that meets the needs of Scotland’s farmers without compromising Scotland’s environmental obligations.

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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006