SRA Annual Report 2020-21: Online Natural Flood Management (NFM) auctions
In early 2020, Somerset farmers were invited to bid in an online auction for grants from Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA). Twenty farmers and landowners made 119 successful bids for works to help stop flooding. Works were carried out later in the year.
New for this year, farmers were offered a choice of up to seven different methods of natural flood management (NFM), following smaller online auction trials funded by the SRA and the Environment Agency in 2018 and 2019,
2020’s choices included better maize management, grassland subsoiling and grassland slitting, and hedge planting. Better maize management was most popular.
The aim of all the measures is to help slow the flow of water, while delivering other benefits. For example, grassland subsoiling and slitting aerate the ground so that more rainwater can filter in. They also improve the soil.
The auctions are reverse auctions. In conventional auctions, bids go up until the highest one wins. In reverse auctions, the victors are those who submit lower bids.
To take part, farmers had to visit a website (www.naturebid.org.uk), choose one or more NFM methods, select areas of their land where they believed those methods would get the best flood prevention results, then bid for funding. The total available was £40,000.
After bids were checked by FWAG SW, grants from the SRA and Environment Agency were given to the best, most competitively-priced ideas. When works were completed, they were all inspected by FWAG SW advisers, to make sure they were done to a good standard.
The auction covered the length and breadth of Somerset, with two exceptions. As the main purpose of NFM activities in Somerset is to slow the flow of water down through the higher parts of river catchments, the website did not allow farmers to place bids for land in low-lying Internal Drainage Board areas, or in areas which drain out of the county.
NatureBid technology was developed by the Environment Agency with the Sylva Foundation at Oxford University. Following Somerset’s initial trial in 2018, it is being increasingly used across the country.
Farmers say the system is quick and easy to use, with very little paperwork. Part of its appeal for all concerned is that it draws on farmers’ and landowners’ unrivalled knowledge of their own land.
2020-21 auction activities
Better maize management
Water running off from compacted maize ground can contribute to localised flooding. Problems can be minimised by encouraging the infiltration of water through soil. Useful techniques include drilling and cultivating fields with a winter cereal or ryegrass, after maize has been harvested. Establishing green cover helps to intercept rainfall and protect the soil surface.
This year, to get the grants they bid for, farmers had to cut their maize before 1 October. This stipulation was introduced to allow for more time, after harvesting, for run-off reduction works to be carried out. If works are left too late, then the soil can simply become too wet for success.
Note that for ease of reading many separate auction bids have been amalgamated into total hectarages.
A couple of grand totals: grants were given for better maize management on 391.608 hectares (enough space to park just over 145,000 cars), and for grassland subsoiling and slitting on 123.356 hectares (enough space for about 45,700 cars).
Parrett catchment
Maize management
Quantock Farm, North Petherton, 36.319 hectares at Clavelshay, Petherton Stream and North Moor Main Drain.
Finefarm Ltd, Otterhampton, 58.208 hectares, including fields at Beere Manor Farm (Fiddington Brook, Parrett), Wembdon (Cannington Brook and Parrett) and Bawdrip (King’s Sedgemoor Drain – Henley Sluice to mouth).
Haddon Farm, Thurloxton, 27.352 hectares, Petherton Stream.
Maize management and buffers on high risk crop
Bower Hinton Farm, 8.9 hectares of maize management, plus 0.39 hectares of buffers (four of 6 metres each) at the bottom of maize fields and a field used for growing potatoes, close to a watercourse in the Lopen Brook to River Isle catchment which feeds into the Parrett.
Slough Court Farm, at several places including Durston, 40.68 hectares, Parrett catchment, Stoke St Gregory, 7.418 hectares, Parrett catchment, Stathe, 15.804 hectares, River Parrett, and Huntham, 3.757 hectares, plus a 0.196 hectare buffer at the bottom of a maize field here, along the watercourse (West Sedgemoor Main Drain).
Buffer strip on high-risk crop
Peadon Farm, Fiddington, 0.115 hectares, at the bottom of a maize field along a ditch that drains into Fiddington Brook, to slow run-off in the event of heavy winter rain.
Tone catchment
Maize management
Slough Court Farm, Adsborough, 24.342 hectares, River Tone downstream of Taunton.
Woodram Farm, Blagdon Hill, 10.52 hectares, Sherford Stream.
Quantock Farm, several locations: Creech St Michael, 22.523 hectares in fields south of Walford Cross, Tone downstream of Taunton; West Monkton, 16.878 hectares at Yalway, River Tone downstream of Taunton, Allen Brook (Maiden Brook); elsewhere in West Monkton, 22.71 hectares, Tone downstream of Taunton, Allen Brook (Maiden Brook).
Maize management and buffers on high-risk crop
Higher Chapel Leigh Farm between Hoccombe and Chapel Leigh, 13.261 hectares, Halse Water, and 0.139 hectares of buffer on the same farm.
Cutliffe Farm, Sherford and Orchard Portman, 49.57 hectares, and 0.38 hectares of buffers, Sherford Stream and Broughton Brook.
Frome catchment
Maize management
Sharpshaw Farm, Nunney, 29.595 hectares and 0.17 hectares of buffer on the same farm, Nunney Brook (source to confluence with Mells River).
West Somerset streams
Maize management
Crowcombe estate near Lawford, Yeaw Farm, 3.771 hectares, Doniford Stream
Old Cleeve Farm, Old Cleeve, 43.494 hectares, including several fields close to the Washford to Bilbrook main road, Pill watercourse.
Grassland slitting and subsoiling
Grassland slitting
East Lydeard Farm, 48.504 hectares at Bishops Lydeard and Cothelstone, Back Stream and tributary of Back Stream, Tone catchment.
Slough Court, 6.878 hectares at Huntham and Stoke St Gregory, West Sedgemoor Main Drain and River Parrett.
Smokey Farm, 22.986 hectares near Kingston St Mary, tributary of Back Stream, Tone catchment.
Prokters Farm, West Monkton and Langaller, 26.24 hectares, to alleviate shallow compaction, in turn improving water infiltration to increase water-holding capacity of soil and reduce run-off, River Tone downstream of Taunton.
Grassland subsoiling
Lower Cothay Farm, between Greenham and Langford Budville, 12.538 hectares, upper Tone catchment
Knights Farm, land near Lydeard St Lawrence, 6.21 hectares, Back Stream, Tone catchment.
Hedge planting
Hedges planted across slopes can interrupt flow pathways by acting as physical barriers to run-off. They can improve infiltration and uptake of water and reduce soil erosion as their roots help to bind soil. Earth banks provide even more of a physical barrier.
Hedge planting
Horner Farm, Horner, 446 metres in two fields with extra fencing for protection from deer and rabbits, catchment of River Aller.
Hedge planting on earth bank
Pinksmoor Farm, Holywell Lake, 84.6 metres in the corner of a field just outside Holywell Lake, complementing a previous hedge and bank installed with SRA funding from 2018’s online auction. Both have helped to reduce road flooding. Upper Tone catchment.
