Water Resources
In a wetland system, water management is crucial. This is especially true in the Broads, where for centuries the levels and flows of water have been influenced by human activities such as marsh drainage.
The Broads is currently threatened with a water resource problem - reduction of the freshwater resource available within the wetland. River flows and groundwater reserves are affected by changes in rainfall and abstraction for agricultural and domestic use. The freshwater areas of the Broads are also threatened by increased saltwater incursion and tidal saltwater flooding. Maintaining a balanced water regime whereby all users have sufficient water of suitable quality will become one of the greatest challenges for lowland wetland management, especially if current usage trends continue and the predictions for global warming become a reality.
The Environment Agency is the organisation responsible for protecting and improving the water environment and for flood defence. The Broads Authority, the Environment Agency, Natural England (formerly English Nature) and internal drainage boards work in partnership to produce policies on water management and broads restoration. The Broads Authority is also consulted on water abstraction licences by the Environment Agency, to ensure river flow requirements, water quality objectives, river management and navigation interests are all taken into account.
Water resources also affect the fen habitat, as each fen is a unique entity, with its own hydrology. The particular character of a fen is dependent on its water supply - whether it relies primarily on groundwater, rainwater, river water or a combination of all three. Investigation and long-term monitoring is an important aspect of fen conservation since without an understanding of the hydrology of fens it is impossible to determine accurately the impact of any existing or proposed water abstraction. Such work is currently being undertaken as part of the Environment Agency’s 'Review of Consents' process. Under the 1994 EU Habitats Regulations, all Environment Agency permissions to abstract water or discharge into it are assessed collectively around areas of European wildlife importance, such as many of the marshes and shallow lakes of the Broads. Actions arising from this research, aimed at sustaining future water resources are not expected until after 2008.
