Broads Water Level Management
The Broads Water Level Management project advances water management in the Broads, focusing on sustainable agriculture, peat management, biodiversity, and lowering carbon emissions.
Net Zero targets mean that emissions reduction on lowland agricultural peatland is of great importance – given that any water level change will affect an entire hydrological block, collaborative land use planning is key to being able to reduce emissions from drained peat soils effectively.
We will develop detailed costed water feasibility studies using our Broads watertable model and novel machine learning to develop water management rules. Our aim is to bring together farmers and landowners across entire hydrological blocks to develop a farmer-led water level management at Upton, Beccles Marsh, Langley Abbey, and neighbouring farms. We will run a water-focused conference for the Broads network of water managers, sharing knowledge to support the adoption of peat restoration strategies.
Partners
Partners involved in the project include the:
- Broads Authority
- Cranfield University
- Norfolk FWAG
- Norfolk Environment Food and Farming
Outputs
- Strategic mapping of Yare and Waveney catchments generating field-by-field water requirement & carbon reduction
- Costed water management plans for Langley Abbey & Beccles Marsh supporting farmers pursuing Stewardship options
- Data analytics for Upton Smart Farm protecting peatland habitats
- Farm workshops, podcasts, conference to share knowledge and network building
- Launch of the Broads Peat Partnership
Broadly Speaking Podcasts
As part of this project the Broads Authority, working with partners across the region, created a short podcast series exploring carbon capture, paludiculture and other climate-related topics affecting the Broads landscape. The podcasts were funded by DEFRA and produced by SOUNDYARD in Norwich.
Hosted by Andrea Kelly, the series explores the future of peatlands through conversations with local farmers, landowners, water managers, scientists and environmental experts. It aims to share practical, real-world solutions and diverse perspectives on how the Broads can transition toward more sustainable land management. It is described as a grounded, hopeful insight into a landscape undergoing significant ecological change.
To listen, head to the podcast page on Spotify, Soundcloud or Apple podcasts.
Contact
For information about this project please speak to Andrea Kelly by emailing Andrea.Kelly@broads-authority.gov.uk
This work is part of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot, administered by the Environment Agency and funded by DEFRA.
