The Demonstration Test Catchments (DTC) project is a joint Defra, Environment Agency (EA) and Welsh Assembly Government initiative working in three river catchments – the Wensum in Norfolk plus the Eden (Cumbria) and Avon (Hampshire).

The overall objective of the project is to provide evidence to test the hypothesis that it is possible to cost effectively reduce the impact of agricultural diffuse water pollution on ecological function while maintaining food security through the implementation of multiple on-farm measures across whole river catchments using local expertise to solve local problems. [READ MORE]

What's happening now?

• DECEMBER 2011: NATIONAL DTC WEBSITE LAUNCHED!The new national DTC website will provide a key focal point to allow knowledge to be exchanged among all those who have an interest in diffuse pollution management, providing a space for sharing evidence and learning within the national DTC community itself, in addition to encouraging wider international sharing of best practice. The website is being managed by a team from the universities of Newcastle and Lancaster who are running the Knowledge Exchange component of the DTC programme.
• DECEMBER 2011: RIVER WENSUM RESTORATION UPDATEWork is progressing downstream of Great Ryburgh Mills on the third major restoration scheme of the Environment Agency funded River Wensum Restoration Strategy. The newly constructed meander channel at Ryburgh End has filled with water for the first time. To read the full story and more from the latest newsletter [Click here].
• 24 NOVEMBER 2011: MEETING FOR NFU MEMBERSNFU members farming in the Wensum catchment were invited to a meeting, held at the Salle Parish Hall, where they heard about the Wensum DTC research, the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme and the latest results from a project investigating sources of sediment pollution and siltation and discussed measures that could be taken to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture. Attendees visited the monitoring stations for a demonstration of the monitoring equipment and were invited to take part in the project by borrowing hand held probes that will allow them to measure nitrate concentrations in ditches and streams on their own land. The meeting was eloquently chaired by Poul Hoveson from the Salle Farm Estate. A short questionnaire was circulated to find out more about farming enterprises in the catchment and potential future threats and how farmers are planning to respond to them. The questionnaire also asked about longer term business objectives and sought views on potential sources of sediment or chemical pollutants in water and plans for introducing any new farming methods that could have a beneficial impact on water quality. For a summary of the questionnaire findings [Click here].

To read more about what's been happening so far see our News page.