International Teagasc Conference on Water Quality

Nitrate concentrations in rivers across Europe have generally decreased by about 10 per cent since the late 1990’s, with a 15 per cent decrease observed for lakes. That’s according to Robert Collins, from the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen. He was speaking at an international conference on Sustainable Grassland Systems and the EU Water Framework Directive. These overall decreases are attributed to the implementation of agri- environment measures. He went on to tell the conference that a clear reduction in phosphorous levels is also apparent in rivers in Europe.

The two day conference is taking place at the Teagasc Environment Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, with speakers from France, Denmark, United States, the Netherlands, the UK, Switzerland, and Austria. The EU Water Framework Directive is in place, limits are being set for good water quality and all sectors may have to take measures to achieve the standards.

Michael Hamell from the Environment Directorate of the European Commission told conference delegates that early scientifically based implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive will lead not just to greater water protection but should contribute to bio-diversity protection, and climate change mitigation. He said that the environment is now a major influence on agricultural policy and cross compliance which has been obligatory for farmers since 2005 now defines the relationship between farm and environment.

The conference heard how a number of factors are likely to influence the impact of agriculture upon water quality over the coming decades including the growing demand for food and biofuels and climate change.

Cathal O Donoghue from the Teagasc Rural Economy Research Centre said that integrated catchment plans must be prepared for all river basins in order to achieve ‘good ecological status’ in all EU waters. However he warned that the benefits of reduced nitrate concentrations in rivers and lakes will come at some costs to farmers. He stressed the importance of quantifying the costs of introducing measures so that any disproportionate costs on farmers is recognized and taken into account. He said that agriculture isn’t the only economic activity that impacts on water quality, and the broader economic activity has to be taken into account. Reamon Fealy from the Teagasc spatial analysis unit said that every house in Ireland has a spatial point associated with it which will help to give a more balanced view of the risk to water quality.

In a joint paper to the conference Luc Delaby from the UMR INRA-Agrocampus Production du Lait in France and Pat Dillon from Teagasc Dairy Production Research Centre, Moorepark argued that the EU is facing two fundamental challenges – to produce enough food and at the same time to preserve natural resources and the environment. They point to the need to develop systems through science and innovation that allow dairy farmers to expand milk production without compromising water quality. They said that the sustainability of grass-based systems can be improved through increasing the efficiency of conversion of inputs to products, increasing the use and efficiency of organic manures and the selection of the optimal cow for the specific system. Pat Dillon pointed out that Nitrogen and Phosphorous usage by Irish farmers has declined since the mid 1990’s and that cattle, sheep, pig and poultry numbers had all declined since 1998, reducing the nutrient load.

Owen Fenton, Teagasc researcher at Johnstown Castle said that there are lots of technical difficulties in improving water quality because of the nature of water movement in soils. He pointed out that it can be slow and improvements in farm management practices may take time to be reflected in water quality.