Soil and Water

• Introduction
• Water Protection
• Ground Water Regulations
  • EC Groundwater Directive
• Water Framework Directive UK
• Catchment Sensitive Farming
• Nitrates
• The Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2008
• Silage Slurry & Agricultural Fuel Oil
• Soil
  • Soil Management Plan
  • Defra Soil Protection Review
  • Soil Information Gateway
  • Soil Strategy Case Studies (AHRF)
  • Tried & Tested Nutrient Management Plan
• Water Supply and Resource Management
• National & Regional Water Strategies
• Flooding

Nitrates

Environment Hub » Soil Water » Nitrates »

The EC Nitrates Directive has set the save limit for nitrates in surface and ground waters as 50 mg/l. Surface and ground waters in England and Wales are monitored and nitrate levels recorded. Where nitrates are found to be consistently above the set limit and this is attributed to agriculture, an action programme is required to reduce these levels. 

Approximately 70% of agricultural land in England is designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). Revised Action Programme Rules were introduced on 1 January 2009. The NVZ boundary was revised in May 2010.

2010 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones – Regional Maps