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SRDP The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is a scheme funded primarily by Scottish Government and runs from 2007-2013. Part of the SRDP funds available are delivered by Rural Development Contracts (RDC). RDC are competitive and aimed at funding projects that deliver improvements in water quality, business viability, biodiversity, mitigate climate change or strengthen local communities. The reduction of Diffuse Pollution on the River Dee will help deliver improvements in water quality.
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Farmers on Deeside
The River Dee Trust (RDT) and Dee District Salmon Fishery Board (DDSFB) are supporting applications to SRDP (through RDC) that would lead to improvements in water quality and contribute to a reduction in Diffuse Pollution (DP).
RDT and DDSFB are offering:
• A contribution of £500 upon submission of an application that would deliver significant benefit to water quality
•Enable an applicant to become a collaborative partner in the River Dee Enhancement Project, which may increase scoring of the application
•A letter of support for the application
•A site visit to advise on water quality-related aspects of the proposal
•Additional monies may be available to support improvement works that are excluded from SRDP funding
Contact information
•Any land manager interested in our support should contact Edwin Third of the DDSFB (013398 80411, edwin@riverdee.org) for further details of the project.
•For help in making an application we suggest contacting a local consultant; names can be supplied by the River Office (013398 80411, info@riverdee.org).
For more information on SRDP, refer to www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP.
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Reducing Diffuse Pollution
Diffuse Pollution (DP) impacts on rivers by smothering the substrate with fine sediments, inputting chemicals and toxins, increasing nutrient status and reducing bank stability.
 The Beltie burn in 2003, unfenced. Cattle have caused bank erosion and created DP.
Reducing DP will increase the number of juvenile salmon and trout that can be supported by the river, enhance spawning success of adult salmon and trout and reduce mortality of salmon/trout eggs and newly hatched fish. It also enables the natural aquatic environment to be protected, thus benefitting freshwater pearl mussels, otters, water voles and other species that are dependent on the watercourses.
The Beltie burn in 2008, fenced off to cattle. The bank is healing and much less DP enters the burn.
The DDSFB has previously installed 80 km of riparian buffer strip (see photos) to reduce DP. This restricted stock access to the watercourses and prevented bank damage, whilst acting as a ‘buffer’ to intercept diffuse pollutants before they reached the watercourse. Natural riparian vegetation is able to grow up in the buffer zone and provides a ‘corridor’ for wildlife.
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