The Scottish Government

Priority

Code

Water and Soils Priorities

Relevant Packages

HIG16

Reduce diffuse pollution from rural land uses. In particular proposals that:

• reduce the risk of diffuse and point source pollution associated with land use and land manager's non-domestic premises adjacent to water bodies in Highland categorised as 1a (at risk) in the draft Scotland River Basin Plan (2009 - 2015) and enhance their ecological status
• are catchment wide proposals
• return the water body to good or better ecological status or potential (including for example, proposals to improve the quality of identified shellfish growing areas in Highland that are subject to improvement plans because of the impacts of land use activities and premises).

HIG17

Improved water quality of surface water and ground water bodies supported by a 'Soils and Water Plan', with priority given to actions in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, Bathing Water Catchments and Drinking Water Protected Areas.

In particular proposals that improve water quality of surface water and ground water bodies relevant to Highland, with further priority given to:

• actions in Bathing Water Catchments (ie. Dunnet, Dornoch, East and Central Nairn, Dores)
• actions within Drinking Water protected areas.

HIG18

Good ecological status of at risk water bodies (including 1A category) (by 2015), through priorities identified in River Basin Management Plans. In particular, proposals that:

• contribute to the improvement of the ecological status of 1(a) water bodies within the draft Scotland River Basin Management Plan (2009-2015) and priorities identified in Area annexes of the Plan (North Highland and relevant parts of West Highland, Argyll and North-East Areas).

HIG19

Sustainable flood management and reduced flood risk (including adaptation to climate change), through appropriate land management, particularly actions identified in draft River Basin Management Plans. In particular proposals:

• that focus on actions and priorities identified in annexes of the draft Area Plans (namely North Highland and relevant parts of West Highland, Argyll and North-East Areas) but including any proposal to reduce flood risk and improve flood avoidance by "managed retreat" on flood plains.

HIG20

Improved protection in areas identified as most at risk from erosion, flooding, acidification and nitrate pollution, through appropriate management of existing habitats (e.g. low impact silvicultural systems in woodland) or the creation of appropriate habitats (e.g. floodplains and along river edges), or organic conversion or maintenance. In particular proposals that will:

• result in the reduction of erosion in riparian and heavily grazed areas
• enhance the development of nutrient budgeting proposals including planned organic inputs
• create additional habitat to both protect and enhance biodiversity.