RP11: Swales
Find out about eligibility and requirements for the swales item.
RP11: Swales
This item is part of Capital Grants. You must read the Capital items: guidance for applicants and agreement holders to understand the rules and how to apply.
How much you’ll be paid
£7.52 per square metre (m2).
How this item benefits the environment
A swale (channel) collects surface runoff water from fields, tracks or yards allowing sediment to settle to the bottom and water to enter the ground.
This item helps to reduce runoff and the risk of soil erosion and water pollution. Swales can also slow water flows during heavy rainfall and reduce downstream flooding and support water resources.
This item can help you protect, recover and improve biodiversity on your land.
Where you can use this item
You can use this item either:
- in areas targeted to reduce water pollution from agriculture
- to reduce flood risk
- to improve recharge of groundwater – where permeable soils and geology allow for the capture and storage of groundwater
You may need a feasibility study, implementation plan or a Catchment Sensitive Farming water holding structure action plan developed with Natural England.
Catchment Sensitive Farming provides advice where there are water quality or flood risk issues linked to farming.
You’ll need to get relevant advice, permits or consents from the Environment Agency, local council, lead local flood authority or internal drainage board before you start any work.
You must also contact your local planning authority to check if planning permission is needed.
You cannot use this item:
- to collect effluents, slurries or other organic manures
- on historic or archaeological features identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER)
- on areas of wildlife interest identified on your Farm Environment Record (FER) or on MAGIC
What you must do to use this item
You must either follow the requirements set out in your feasibility study or the Catchment Sensitive Farming water holding structure action plan developed with Natural England to:
- construct a channel along a contour or on a slope gradient of no more than 2 degrees
- mark the layout of the swale on the ground
- excavate the swale bed to a depth of 750 millimetres (mm)
- stockpile the topsoil separately to use on the bed and side slopes of the swale
- construct the side slopes with a gradient of no more than 1 in 3
- excavate a further 150mm to 250mm and place the topsoil on the bed
- establish a dense grass sward on the bed and sides of the swale
If your plan specifies, you can construct sediment traps using RP7: Sediment ponds and traps and filtration dams using RP10: Silt filtration dams or seepage barriers on the main flow pathways into the swale.
You must not place any excavated spoil on historic or archaeological features or areas of wildlife value identified on your FER, HEFER or on MAGIC.
Evidence you must keep
You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.
You must also keep and provide on request:
- any consents or permissions connected with the work
- receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- photographs of the site before works start
- a copy of your water holding feature management plan or feasibility study
Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.
Other items you can use with this item
You can use this item with these items:
RP9: Earth banks and soil bunds
RP10 Silt filtration dams or seepage barriers
Advice to help you use this item
The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.
Using this item with other measures
Use this item with other farm measures to reduce surface runoff and water pollution. Good soil management will encourage the filtration of surface water and minimise runoff.
Using check dams or silt barriers
You can use capital items such as check dams or silt filtration barriers in swales to help slow water flow, reduce sedimentation and encourage infiltration.
How to establish a grass sward
To establish a dense grass sward, sow a seed mixture at a seed rate of 25g per m2 (for the best results). The mixture may be a multi-species grass mix such as creeping red fescue (70%), smooth meadowgrass (20%) and creeping bent (10%).
Sustainable drainage systems on rural land
Improve the management of water on the land by using rural sustainable drainage systems.
Updates to this page
Published 2 April 2015Last updated 3 February 2025 + show all updates
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Amended item - you can now use this item: - to reduce flood risk - in catchments where permeable soils and geology allow for the recharge of groundwater
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Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants
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Updated for 2017 applications.
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Information updated for applications in 2016
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First published.