SRA Annual Report 2021-22: Online natural flood management (NFM) auctions
Every year since 2018 Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) has given grants to successful bidders for works to help stop flooding. Somerset farmers are invited to bid via an auctions website (www. naturebid.org.uk) for Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures which they believe would work well on their land.
In 2021 NFM measures on offer included better maize management, grassland subsoiling and grassland slitting, and hedge planting. The aim of all these measures is to help slow the flow of water down through catchments, 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 organised for the SRA by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest (FWAG SW). They are reverse auctions. In conventional auctions, bids go up until the highest one wins. In reverse auctions, people who submit lower bids are triumphant.
All bids are checked by FWAG SW advisers, before and after proposed works are done, to make sure firstly that they will have good effects in suitable locations, then that they have been done to a good standard.
Farmers say they like the auctions system because it is quick and easy to use, and involves very little paperwork. Another part of its appeal for all concerned is that it draws on farmers’ and landowners’ unrivalled knowledge of their own land.
A few grand totals: grants were given for better maize management on 519.24 hectares (enough space to park about 192,400 cars), for winter cover crops on 127.07 hectares (47,100 cars), for buffers on 2.91 hectares (1,080 cars), for grassland subsoiling and slitting on 175.12 hectares (64,900 cars) and for 605.68 metres of hedgerow planting.
A note on 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.
To get the grants they bid for, farmers have to cut their maize before 1 October. This rule is intended 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.
2021-22 auction activities
For ease of reading many separate auction bids have been amalgamated into total hectarages.
Mendip
Downhead, Green Farm, 3.4 hectares of maize management in a field south of Battlefields Wood near Downhead, 3.54 hectares of grassland slitting in a field east of Battlefields Wood; parishes Doulting, Leigh-on-Mendip; watercourses Whatley Brook source to confluence with Mells River, Somerset Frome.
Chantry, Asham View, 21.5 hectares of grassland slitting between Leigh upon Mendip and Tadhill; parish Mells; watercourse Buckland Brook source to confluence with Mells River; catchment Somerset Frome.
Nunney, Sharpshaw Farm, 32.73 hectares of maize management and 0.40 hectares of grass buffer strip at the boundary of a field; parishes Nunney and Selwood; watercourse Nunney Brook source to confluence with Mells River; catchment Somerset Frome.
Trudoxhill, Sunnyside Farm, 5.3 hectares of maize management on land east of Trudoxhill; parish Trudoxhill; watercourse Frome source to confluence with Maiden Bradley Brook; catchment Somerset Frome.
West Bradley, Bridge Farm, 23.47 hectares of grassland subsoiling in the parishes of Baltonsborough and West Bradley; watercourses Coxbridge Brook and Brue (Tootle Bridge to Clyse Hole); catchment Brue.
Witham Friary and Cranmore, New Manor Farm, 18.14 hectares of maize management, 72.6 hectares of grassland slitting; parishes Doulting, Postelbury; watercourses Frome – source to confluence with Maiden Bradley Brook, Whatley Brook source to confluence with Mells River; catchment Somerset Frome.
Sedgemoor
Pedwell, Redlands Farm, 34.31 hectares of grassland slitting; parish Ashcott; watercourses 18 Feet Rhyne and King’s Sedgemoor Drain Henley Sluice to mouth; catchment Parrett.
Rhode near North Petherton, Rhode Farm, 18.8 hectares of winter cover crops; parish North Petherton; watercourses Hamp Brook and Stockmoor Rhyne; catchment Parrett.
Stawell, Manor Farm, 23.25 hectares of cover crops at Pendon Hill and land at Righton’s Grave; parish Stawell; watercourse Level Rhyne and Pendon Rhyne, King’s Sedgemoor Drain from Henley Sluice to mouth; catchment Parrett.
Stretcholt, land near Sealey Cottage, 106.65 metres of hedge planting; parish Pawlett; watercourse River Parrett; catchment Parrett.
Sedgemoor and Somerset West and Taunton
Otterhampton, Manor Farm, 131.84 hectares of maize management at several locations across the parishes of Cannington, Wembdon, North Petherton, Oake, Milverton and Nynehead; watercourses Fiddington Brook, Cannington Brook (Lower), North Moor Main Drain, Tone (Willington to Taunton), Hillfarrance Brook; catchments Tone and Parrett.
West Monkton, Quantock Farm, 74.29 hectares of maize management and two buffer strips totalling 0.42 hectares were established at the bottom of two sloping fields; parishes North Petherton, West Monkton; watercourses Petherton Stream, North Moor Main Drain, Tone downstream of Taunton, Allen Brook (Maiden Brook); catchment Tone and Parrett.
Somerset West and Taunton
Assorted locations, Slough Court, 65.4 hectares of maize management, 8.6 hectares of grassland slitting; parishes Burrowbridge, Durston, North Curry, Stoke St Gregory; watercourses King’s Sedgemoor Drain (Henley Sluice to mouth), North Moor Main Drain, River Parrett, River Tone downstream of Taunton, West Sedgemoor Main Drain; catchments Tone and Parrett.
Blagdon Hill, Woodram Farm, 6 hectares of maize management in fields at Blagdon Hill and Blagdon Old School; parish Pitminster; watercourse Sherford Stream; catchment Tone.
Cheddon Fitzpaine, Hestercombe Farm, 7.16 hectares of maize management and a 0.31 hectare buffer strip at a sloped field margin; parish Cheddon Fitzpaine; watercourse Allen Brook (Maiden Brook); catchment Tone.
Dunster, Lower Marsh Farm, and land at Old Cleeve, 37.2 hectares of maize management and 33.2 hectares of winter crops; parishes Dunster and Old Cleeve; watercourses Pill and Avill; catchment West Somerset Streams.
Lydeard St Lawrence, Higher Vexford Farm, 78.44 hectares of maize management at various locations in parishes of Elworthy, Fitzhead and Stogumber, Elworthy; watercourses Hillfarrance Brook, Doniford Stream and Halse Water; catchments Tone, West Somerset Streams.
Pinksmoor near Wellington, Pinksmoor Farm, 69.4 metres of hedge planting on banks in a good cross-slope location and the bottom of a sloped field; parish Wellington Without; watercourse upper Tone; catchment Tone.
Rumwell, Ritherdens Farm, 51.82 hectares of winter cover crops on land east of Hele and north of Castleman’s Hill; parishes Bradford on Tone, Bishop’s Hull and Trull; watercourses Hele Brook, Sherford Stream, River Tone; catchment Tone.
Staplegrove, Smokey Farm, 123.07 metres of hedge planting on banks; parish Kingston St Mary; watercourse tributary of Back Stream; catchment Tone.
Tolland, Little Parks Farm, 131.56 metres of hedge planting across a large, sweeping slope; parish Brompton Ralph; watercourse Halse; catchment Tone.
Wellington, Bryants Farm, 6.09 hectares of maize management, 0.19 hectares of two buffers to intercept run- off; parishes Wellington Without, West Buckland; watercourse Haywards Water; catchment Tone.
Wellisford near Wellington, Newlands Farm, 11.1 hectares of grassland subsoiling; parishes Langford Budville, Stawley, Wellington Without; watercourse upper Tone; catchment Tone.
West Monkton, Prockters Farm, 10.32 hectares of maize management; parish West Monkton; watercourse Allen Brook (Maiden Brook); catchment Tone.
South Somerset
Bower Hinton near Martock, Bower Hinton Farm, 1.42 hectares of buffers to intercept run-off from high-risk cops in sloping fields; parish Martock; watercourse Parrett (Lopen Brook to River Isle); catchment Parrett.
Ilminster, Hurcott Farm, 3 filter fences installed in the form of both fabric filter fencing and coir rolls and a 0.17 hectare buffer strip; parishes Seavington St Mary and Whitelackington; watercourses Lopen Brook, Lam Brook and River Isle upper to confluence with Cad Brook; catchment Parrett.
North Barrow near Yeovil, Firtree Farm, 175 metres of hedgerow planted; parish North Barrow; watercourse River Cary source to confluence with King’s Sedgemoor Drain; catchment Parrett.