Scottish Government

Regional Priority Code

Water and Soils Priorities

Relevant Packages

ARG16

Reduced diffuse and point source pollution from rural land uses and housing. Particularly proposals that:

• reduce risk of diffuse pollution associated with land use adjacent to water bodies, particularly those which are classified as being at less than good status in the Scotland River Basin Plan (2009 - 2015). Proposed measures should enhance their 'ecological status' according to SEPA's published guidance. Priority will be given to catchment wide proposals and those which return the water body to good or better ecological status or potential
• improve the quality of identified shellfish growing areas in Argyll that are subject to improvement plans because of the impacts of land use and agricultural activity
• reduce the bacterial contamination of identified waters by the improvement of septic tanks.

ARG17

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, shellfish growing areas and Drinking Water Protected Areas. Particularly proposals that:

• contribute significantly to improved surface water and ground water quality adjacent to or within shellfish, bathing water catchments, drinking water protected areas or water bodies classified as being at less than good status.

ARG18

Achieve good ecological status of water bodies which are classified at a lesser status, through priorities identified in River Basin Management Plans. Particularly proposals that:

• seek to enhance the ecological status of adjacent water bodies classified as being at less than good status in River Basin Management Plans relevant to Argyll including:

1. forest management

2. intensive livestock grazing and housing

3. operations involving the management of waste products from rural businesses

4. habitat improvements which address morphological pressures (i.e. straightened water bodies, engineering structures) by re-instating natural water course, riparian planting, removing engineering structures etc.

ARG19

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

• involve land management which contributes to reduced flood risk particularly where identified in the River Basin Management Plan
• enhanced riparian woodland management
• restoration of wetlands (including peatlands)
• scrub/woodland development in the upland fringe to regulate water flow on hillsides
• proposals for new and existing woodlands in support for the work of the Scottish Government's Flooding Issues Advisory Committee.

ARG20

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. Particularly proposals that:

• mitigate the impact of acidification through catchment-based assessments as identified under the Forest & Water Guidelines
• involve the conversion to or maintenance of organic production methods according to the industry best practice standards.