The Scottish Government

Regional Priority Code

Water and Soils Priorities

Relevant Packages

D+G16

Reduced diffuse pollution from rural land uses. Particularly proposals that:

• reduce the risk of diffuse pollution from rural land uses and in particular within the catchments of the Lochar Water, the Piltanton Burn, Dumfries and Galloway coastal streams and the priorities identified in, the Draft River Basin Management Plan until 2009 and thereafter the first plan 2009-2015.

D+G17

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. Particularly proposals that:

• give priority to actions in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Lower Nithsdale), watercourse catchments including the River Nith and other streams flowing onto or into the vicinity of designated bathing waters at Southerness, Sandyhills, Rockcliffe, Brighouse Bay and Carrick and Drinking Water Protected Areas and the priorities identified in, the Draft River Basin Management Plan until 2009 and thereafter the first plan 2009-2015.

D+G18

By 2015, achieve good ecological status of water bodies which are currently classified as being at a lesser status. This can be achieved through priorities identified in River Basin Management Plans. Particularly proposals that:

• support priorities identified in, the Draft River Basin Management Plan until 2009 and thereafter the first plan 2009-2015, the D&G Catchment Management Plans for the Rivers Nith, Annan, Dee-Ken and Bladnoch and proposals for forest management action in and adjacent to water bodies.

D+G19

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:

• address flooding at a catchment level, particularly in respect of actions identified in the draft Solway Tweed River Basin Management Plan until 2009 and thereafter, the first plan 2009-2015 and the D&G Catchment Management Plans for the Rivers Nith, Annan, Dee-Ken and Bladnoch with priority to rural land management proposals
• support for proposals for new and existing woodlands in support of the work of the Scottish Government's Flooding Issues Advisory Committee taking into account priorities in the "Improved protection in areas identified as most at risk from erosion, flooding, acidification and nitrate pollution".

D+G20

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:

• support for proposals to improve protection in areas identified as most at risk from erosion and/or flooding in all river catchments (following actions identified in the draft Solway Tweed River Basin Management Plan until 2009 and thereafter) and along the coast (following actions in the Shoreline Management Plan) by the creation of appropriate habitats throughout catchments particularly where action is taken by a party or parties acting together to rectify and make better historical river engineered stream diversions
• support for improved protection in relation to acidification particularly with respect to the river catchments of the Dee, Fleet, Cree and Bladnoch through appropriate management of existing habitats and/or proposals to mitigate the impact of acidification through catchment based assessments as identified under the Forest and Water Guidelines
• support for proposals that improve the structure and microbiology of soil with reference to the Farm Soils Plan.