Policy paper

Tamar abstraction licensing strategy

Updated 21 October 2024

1. About the licensing strategy

This strategy sets out how we manage new and existing abstraction and impoundments within the Tamar catchment in the South West river basin district.

Our approach ensures that we:

• meet river basin management plan objectives for water resources activities
• avoid deterioration within this catchment

We apply this approach to the water body in which the abstraction is located.

It also applies to

• all downstream surface water bodies that may be affected by any reduction in abstraction related flow
• adjacent groundwater bodies affected by any reduction in groundwater level

Our guidance on managing water abstraction gives the technical explanation, legal and policy requirements behind the abstraction licensing strategy (ALS).

Please see our guidance if you need to:

• check if you need a licence to abstract water
• check if you need a licence to impound water
• apply for an abstraction or impounding licence

While our assessment tools are continuously updated, we aim to update this document every 3 years. Because of this some details in this document, for example hands off flow (HoF) values, may be out of date. You can contact the Environment Agency for the latest data.

1.1 Collaborative and sustainable water management

Our long term goal is to develop a stronger catchment focus for water resources. We are working with abstractors and catchment groups to:

• develop local solutions to existing pressures
• prepare for the future

Catchment groups may include a variety of different partnership groups such as:

• abstractor groups
• local catchment partnerships
• priority catchment groups
• environmental groups

In priority catchments across England we have explored:

• modern and innovative ways of improving access to water
• alternative ways to achieving sustainable abstraction

This strategy is a tool to make informed decisions on the choices abstractors make about their use of water. We want this strategy to help abstractors plan their water use and become more resilient in the face of climate change. 

2. Catchment overview

We have split the catchment into areas of water that can be managed as individual units. The Tamar catchment has 13 assessment points.

The catchment can be sub-divided into its main river catchments of the:

• Tamar
• Tavy
• Plym
• Lynher
• Tiddy
• Yealm

The Tamar begins near the north coast of Cornwall on the Devon and Cornwall border. Many of the Tamar tributaries drain Bodmin Moor to the west and Dartmoor to the East.

More information on the catchment can be found on the catchment data explorer and Magic map.

Map 1: overview of the Tamar catchment

© Environment Agency

2.1. Landscape and land use

The Tamar catchment covers an area of approximately 1,800 km² in south west England.

The landscape of the Tamar catchment reflects its varied geology. About a third lies within the upland moorlands of Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor. It has a culturally and ecologically rich landscape of heaths and moors, bogs, pools, granite tors and archaeological features such as stone circles, burial sites, and clapper bridges.

Further down, the valleys are characterised by deep, well wooded ravines, with extensive creeks and mudflats in the lower reaches. Historic human activity is evident in the many mining remains, spoil heaps and ruins and abandoned market gardens on the valley slopes.

Agricultural land accounts for a vast percentage of land use within the area. In the upper stretches this includes mixed and dairy farming, moorland grazing on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor and mixed dairy farming in the more sheltered areas towards the coast. There are also active quarries in the catchment working a variety of minerals; limestone and shale, aggregates and china clay.

The River Wolf catchment includes Roadford Reservoir, which supplies water to a large part of Devon.

Table 1: land use type proportion of catchment (%)

Land use	Proportion (%)
Permanent grassland	60.36
Forested	15.38
Arable	12.74
Urban	7.36
Other	4.15

Land use statistics based upon LCM2019 © NERC (UKCEH) 2020.

Photograph showing the River Tamar near Cotehele

2.2. Water resources

The major river in the catchment is the River Tamar which:

• is approximately 80 kilometres in length, rising close to the north Cornwall coast around 6.5 kilometres to the northeast of the town of Bude
• runs predominately north to south, forming a natural boundary between Devon and Cornwall

Other main rivers within this catchment include:

• Inny
• Kensey
• Ottery
• Wolf
• Thrushel
• Lyd
• Tiddy
• Lynher
• Tavy
• Plym
• Yealm

Under the requirements of The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 (WFD Regulations 2017), a total of 56 river water bodies have been defined within the Tamar catchment. Water bodies are the surface water or groundwater units on which we carry out resource assessments.

In addition, there are 4 lake water bodies:

• Upper Tamar Lake
• Lower Tamar Lake
• Roadford Lake
• Burrator Reservoir

A total of 112 licensed groundwater and surface water abstraction licences are currently authorised in the Tamar catchment (not including non-consumptive abstractions for hydroelectric power (HEP) generation).

This does not take into account the abstractions that do not require a licence. Activities that do not need an abstraction licence are listed in the guidance on how to check if you need a licence to abstract water.

The proportion of water abstracted by different sectors, based on total licensed quantities not including HEP generation, is summarised in Table 2.

Table 2: proportion of water abstracted by sector

Abstraction licence sector	Total licensed water quantity (cubic meters per year)	Proportion of total licensed water quantity (%)
Public water supply	164,307,970	52.14
Agriculture	89,230,501.52	28.31
Industry and commercial	54,136,238.5	17.18
Energy generation (not including HEP)	5,093,072.1	1.62
Amenity and environmental	1,978,162	0.63
Other potable uses	364,985.6	0.12
Total	315,110,930.0	100

South West Water is the principal public water supplier for the Tamar catchment and operates the Upper Tamar Lake, Burrator Reservoir and Roadford Reservoir. The catchment supplies water to the Mayflower water treatment works for Plymouth customers as well as supplying North Cornwall and Devon through Northcombe water treatment works.

Population density varies throughout the catchment from the large maritime city of Plymouth and the market towns of Launceston, Holsworthy, and Tavistock to the rural character of the headwaters in the north of the catchment and on the moorlands to the east and west. This is a challenge in providing services.

An influx of summer visitors to the region changes the pattern of water demand for the summer season. Infrastructure such as water supply must be designed to cope with both patterns of usage.

The significant abstractions within this catchment are for public water supply, extractive industries, and agriculture.

Most employment in the catchment is agricultural based, with a lot of managed grassland for livestock. Further downstream more are employed within the Ministry of Defence industries in Plymouth and china clay industries in the Lee Moor area.

Tourism plays a significant role throughout the Tamar catchment and there are many small guesthouses, bed and breakfast and campsites in the area.

2.3. Climate change

Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges for future sustainable management of water resources and will likely impact on the quantity and seasonal availability of water resources within the catchment.

2.4 Partnership working

There is a focus on developing collaborative approaches to water resources management and planning. We are seeking to engage with stakeholders to find solutions to water scarcity within this catchment. This brings together stakeholders from a range of backgrounds to address issues in the catchment.

The West Country Water Resources Group works at a strategic level across the whole of the West Country and is led by the water companies (Bristol Water, South West Water, Wessex Water) to develop a co-ordinated approach to water resource planning for the next 25 years. The Environment Agency is also a core member.

There are also working groups for the Upper Tamar and the Tavy. This is where we coordinate activity from different programmes, for example:

• Cothele intertidal habitat
• Tamara landscape project
• Devon and Cornwall riparian tree planting
• Upper Tamar fish habitat improvements
• Tamar estuaries consultative forum
• Tamar invasive plants project

There’s more information on the Tamar catchment partnership webpage My Tamar: the Tamar is part of us all – and we are part of it.

3. Water resource availability in the Tamar catchment

The method for calculating the water resource availability is explained in managing water abstraction. Water availability is estimated at selected APs. The maps show the water availability estimated at the AP; at a water body scale, water availability may differ.

There are 13 APs in the Tamar ALS:

• AP1, Upper Tamar (Lakes and Small Brook) – River Tamar
• AP2, Middle Tamar (Deer, Claw, Ottery) – River Tamar
• AP3, Wolf (including Roadford Dam) – River Wolf
• AP4, Lyd and Thrushel – River Lyd
• AP5, Inny – River Inny
• AP6, Lower Tamar – River Tamar
• AP7, Lynher and Tiddy – River Lynher
• AP8, Upper Tavy – River Tavy
• AP9, Lower Tavy – River Tavy
• AP10, Meavy (including Burrator Dam) – River Meavy
• AP11, Plym – River Plym
• AP12, Upper Yealm – River Yealm
• AP13, Lower Yealm – River Yealm

In addition to availability, new surface water abstractions will be subject to the further considerations described in section 3.5.

3.1 Water resource availability colours and implications for licensing

We use colours to represent different surface water availability at a range of flows.

Water available for licensing

Green

There is more water than required to meet the needs of the environment. New licences can be considered depending on local and downstream impacts. Licences will be issued with a hands off flow (HoF) restriction to protect environmental requirements at lower flows.

Restricted water available for licensing

Yellow

Full licensed flows fall below the environmental flow indicators (EFI).

If all licensed water is abstracted there will not be enough water left for the needs of the environment. No new consumptive licences would be granted. It is likely we’ll be taking action to reduce full licensed risks. Water may be available if you can ‘buy’ (known as licence trading) the entitlement to abstract water from an existing licence holder.

Water not available for licensing

Red

Recent actual flows are below the EFI.

This scenario highlights water bodies where flows are below the indicative flow requirement to help support a healthy ecology in our rivers.

We call this ‘good ecological status’ (GES) or ‘good ecological potential’ (GEP) where a water body is heavily modified for reasons other than water resources.

We are currently taking action in water bodies that are not supporting GES or GEP. We will not grant further licences. Water may be available if you can buy (known as licence trading) the amount equivalent to recently abstracted from an existing licence holder.

Heavily modified water bodies (and discharge rich water bodies)

Grey

These water bodies have a modified flow that is influenced by reservoir compensation releases, or they have flows that are augmented. These are often known as ‘regulated rivers’. They may be managed through an operating agreement, often held by a water company. The availability of water is dependent on these operating agreements. There’res more detail in section 4.

There may be water available for abstraction in discharge rich catchments. You need to contact the Environment Agency to find out more.

The water resource availability is calculated, and the colour assigned at four different flows:

• Q30 – the flow of a river which is exceeded on average for 30% of the time, therefore you would expect the river flow to be lower than Q30 on 256 days in an average year, that is, a higher flow
• Q50 – the flow of a river which is exceeded on average 50% of the time, therefore you would expect the river flow to be lower than Q50 on 183 days in an average year
• Q70 – the flow of a river which is exceeded on average for 70% of the time, therefore you would expect the river flow to be lower than Q70 on 110 days in an average year
• Q95 – the flow of a river which is exceeded on average for 95% of the time, therefore you would expect the river flow to be lower than Q95 on 18 days in an average year, that is, a low flow

3.2 Water availability maps

The water availability colours for the Tamar catchment are presented in Maps 2 to 5.

Table 3 provides a summary of this information.

Map 2: water resource availability colours at Q30 for Tamar ALS

© Environment Agency

Map 3: water resource availability colours at Q50 for Tamar ALS

© Environment Agency

Map 4: water resource availability colours at Q70 for Tamar ALS

© Environment Agency

Map 5: water resource availability colours at Q95 for Tamar ALS

© Environment Agency

Table 3: summary of maps 2 to 5 – water availability at each assessment point by flow category in the Tamar catchment

AP and name	Q30	Q50	Q70	Q95
1 Upper Tamar (Lakes and Small Brook)	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
2 Middle Tamar (Deer, Claw, Ottery)	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing
3 Wolf (including Roadford Dam)	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
4 Lyd and Thrushel	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing
5 Inny	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing
6 Lower Tamar	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing
7 Lynher and Tiddy	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing	Water available for licensing
8 Upper Tavy	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
9 Lower Tavy	Restricted water available for licensing	Restricted water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
10 Meavy (including Burrator Dam)	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
11 Plym	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
12 Upper Yealm	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing
13 Lower Yealm	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing	No water available for licensing

3.3 Groundwater resource availability

Water availability is the same for surface water and groundwater in the Tamar catchment.

Abstracting groundwater can impact on overlying surface water bodies. This impact is measured at the surface water AP. We cannot grant new groundwater licences where abstraction is reducing flows to below the indicative flow requirement to help support a healthy ecology. This is based on Q95 flows.

We must also account for:

• the impact of abstraction on protected sites
• the risk of saline intrusion

3.4 Resource reliability

If you want to apply for a licence, it’s worth considering the reliability of your abstraction.

By assessing the quantity of water available at different flows it’s possible to see:

• when there is a surplus or deficit of water
• the associated reliability of an abstraction

Map 6 gives an indication of the resource reliability for consumptive abstraction in the Tamar catchment expressed as a percentage of time. In this catchment: 

• APs 7, 13: water is available for consumptive abstraction at least 95% of the time (or 347 days per year)
• APs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12: water may only be available for consumptive abstraction 50% of the time (or 183 days per year)
• APs 3, 8, 9, 10, 11: water may only be available for consumptive abstraction 30% of the time (or 110 days per year)

This is an indication only. The actual reliability of a surface water licence will be discussed when you apply.

Map 6: water resource reliability of the Tamar ALS expressed as percentage of time available

© Environment Agency

3.5 Other considerations for resource availability and reliability

We will add constraints to licences such as hands off flow (HoF) conditions to protect:

• the environment
• the rights of other abstractors

As a result, when we grant a licence, it doesn’t mean that we guarantee a supply of water. These conditions specify that if the flow in the river drops below what’s needed to protect the environment, abstraction must reduce or stop. In dry years, restrictions are likely to apply more often. This will affect the reliability of supply.

There is no guarantee that we will grant licences even where water is available for abstraction. This is because we must determine each application on its own merits. Local factors may mean that we are either unable to grant a licence as applied for, or even at all.

New licences within the Tamar catchment will be time limited and issued with a common end date (CED), for review at the same time.

To ensure the initial CED will give a licence duration of between 6 and 18 years, if an application is made within 6 years of a CED, we will generally apply the subsequent CED to any licence granted. As the next CED for the Tamar catchment is scheduled for 31 March 2026, we will therefore apply the subsequent CED of 31 March 2038.

Short-term licences may be necessary where monitoring is required to reduce uncertainty regarding the impact of an abstraction.

Variations and renewals

Licence variations and the renewal of time-limited licences will be re-issued provided it can be shown:

• the abstraction is sustainable
• there is continued justification of need
• the water is used efficiently

If this is not the case, we may apply more restrictive conditions to the licence.

If your water abstraction licence needs to change, we will consider the impact of those changes on the environment and other abstractors before issuing a variation.

In catchments where water resources are not available or are restricted, we may seek to recover water through the licence renewal or variation process. There’s guidance on renewing a time-limited licence on GOV.UK.

Non-consumptive abstractions

An abstraction is considered non-consumptive where the water removed is returned to the river at, or near, the point of abstraction without any significant loss. Whilst non-consumptive abstraction should have a neutral impact on water resources, we may apply restrictions to minimise effects on flow-depleted reaches. Additional restrictions may also be applied if a non-consumptive abstraction removes water from one catchment and discharges to another.

The most common type of non-consumptive surface water abstraction in the Tamar catchment is for HEP. Use our contact details to obtain guidance on HEP applications.

3.6 Impoundments

Applications for impoundment licences will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and take into account the requirements of our Habitats Directive obligations for designated sites and WFD Regulations 2017 obligations such as ensuring no likelihood of water body ecological deterioration.

An impoundment is a dam, weir or other construction in an inland waterway that obstructs or impedes flow or raises water levels. Our assessment of an impoundment application takes into consideration its potential impacts on the environment (such as fish migration), flood risk, downstream water users and flow modification. In line with current legislation, we do not time limit impoundment licences.

You must have an impoundment licence before you start to construct, alter, repair or remove an impoundment structure, even in an emergency. However, in certain circumstances licence exemptions apply and if we deem there is little or no impact on the environment and other water users, you may not need a licence. Please contact the Environment Agency if you intend to construct, alter, repair or remove an impoundment structure so that we may advise you whether a licence is required.

Use the Environment Agency’s guidance to check if you need a licence to impound water.

4. How we manage water availability in the Tamar ALS

4.1 Surface water

We assess surface water flows at APs, which are significant points on a river, often where 2 major rivers join or at a gauging station. APs cover multiple surface water bodies.

Water availability is the same for surface water and groundwater in the Tamar ALS.

Table 4 gives an indication of:

• whether there is water available for further abstraction
• the associated restrictions we may have to apply to new and varied abstraction licences from the main river

Depending on the nature of the catchment, tributaries to the main river may be subject to different restrictions and quantities. This will be assessed locally on a case-by-case basis.

Each HoF is linked to an AP and is dependent on the resource availability at that AP. In some cases, additional restrictions may apply to licences where there is a more critical AP resource availability downstream. This protects the ecological requirements of the river and other water users. This is detailed in the last column of Table 4 if applicable.

All abstraction licence applications are subject to an assessment. This takes account of any local and downstream issues. It may be subject to further restrictions.

In cases where there is water available at all flows, we may apply a minimum residual flow (MRF) to protect very low flows. We’ll decide this on a case-by-case basis.

Table 4: summary of licensing approach for the assessment points of Tamar ALS

AP and name	Water resource availability	Is there a gauging station at this AP?	Additional restrictions
1 Upper Tamar (Lakes and Small Brook)	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have a HoF that applies at a suitable gauging station or a local HoF will apply.
2 Middle Tamar (Deer, Claw, Ottery)	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have a HoF that applies at a suitable gauging station or a local HoF will apply.
3 Wolf (inc Roadford Dam)	Water not available for licensing.	Yes	We will not accept applications for new consumptive abstractions in order to protect the environment.
4 Lyd and Thrushel	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
5 Inny	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have a HoF that applies at a suitable gauging station or a local HoF will apply.
6 Lower Tamar	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
7 Lynher and Tiddy	Water may be available at all flows subject to local assessment. New licences could be considered.	Yes	Any new surface water abstraction will have a HoF that applies at Pillaton Mill or Tideford Gauging Station or a local HoF will apply.
8 Upper Tavy	Water not available for licensing.	Yes	This AP is upstream of a critical AP, which is closed, and as such this AP is also closed for further consumptive abstractions.
9 Lower Tavy	Water not available for licensing.	Yes	This AP is a critical AP and is closed for further consumptive abstractions.
10 Meavy (inc Burrator Dam)	Water not available for licensing.	No	This AP is a critical AP and is closed for further consumptive abstractions.
11 Plym	Water not available for licensing.	No	This AP is a critical AP and is also closed for further consumptive abstractions.
12 Upper Yealm	Water not available for licensing.	Yes	We have reduced existing abstractions in this catchment to meet the requirements of the Habitats Directive, and therefore we are unable to licence additional water for further consumptive abstraction.
13 Lower Yealm	Water not available for licensing.	Yes	We have reduced existing abstractions in this catchment to meet the requirements of the Habitats Directive, and therefore we are unable to licence additional water for further consumptive abstraction.

4.4 Habitats review of consents

Under a previous review of abstraction licences (known as the ‘review of consents’) to ensure compliance with the Habitats Directive for the Dartmoor special area of conservation (SAC), we reduced abstraction quantities of existing licences to improve flows for the rivers draining the Dartmoor SAC.

Due to reduction of these abstraction quantities to improve flows, under the Habitats Directive Review of Consents, we are unlikely to licence water for consumptive abstraction in the following APs:

• AP12 Upper Yealm
• AP13 Lower Yealm

4.5 Historic licences

There are some historic licences that do not meet modern standards for the protection of flow and river ecology. These licences are not time limited and do not go through the renewal process.

For these licences of concern, we will work with the licence holder to negotiate changes to improve river flow. Where we are unable to progress voluntary licence changes, we may serve notice to enforce those changes.

4.6 Coasts and estuaries

WFD Regulations 2017 transitional water bodies within the Tamar catchment area include:

• Plymouth Sound
• Yealm Estuary

The River Yealm is the main inflow to the Yealm Estuary whereas there are several rivers that flow into the Plymouth Sound. These are:

• River Lynher
• River Tamar
• River Tavy
• River Plym

4.7 Heavily modified water bodies

These water bodies can be classified for many reasons, but for water resources they are classified if they may contain a lake or reservoir that influences the downstream flow regime of the river. The downstream ‘flow modified’ water bodies are also classified as heavily modified. They are designated for water resource purposes if the flow regime has   been altered by flow regulation or augmentation.

In the Tamar catchment, there are 5 heavily modified water bodies. These are:

• Upper Tamar Lake
• Roadford Lake
• Meavy
• Wolf
• Burrator Reservoir

There are other water bodies in the Tamar catchment which have been designated as heavily modified water bodies for reasons other than water resources. These include flood protection, navigation, urbanisation and land drainage.

4.8 Protected sites

The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (Habitats Regulations) provides a very high level of protection to 2 types of designated sites due to their special environment. These are:

• special areas of conservation (SAC), which contribute to biodiversity by maintaining and restoring habitats and species
• special protection area (SPA), which provides protection to birds and their nests, eggs and habitats

Several areas within the Tamar catchment are designated as SACs, SPAs and sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and additional restrictions may be applied to abstractions near or within these areas based on local assessment of impact on these sites. A list of these protected sites can be found under the ‘Land Based Designations’ on Magic map.

Government policy treats Ramsar sites (internationally important wetland sites) in the same way as SACs and SPAs. Ramsars, SACs and SPAs are referred to collectively as European sites. SSSIs also carry a high level of environmental importance.

Conservation objectives are the main objectives for European and SSSI protected sites to maintain at, or to reach, favourable condition. These are set by Natural England. The process for setting targets is described through the Joint Nature Conservation Committee approved ‘Common Standards Monitoring Guidance’.

Natural England use these targets to assess the condition of European and SSSI protected sites. These quantitative targets are considered by Natural England as a pre-requisite for achieving the conservation objectives for European or SSSI designated sites. We have a duty to have regard to Natural England’s advice when determining licence applications that may impact on a designated site.

We may need more detailed supporting information when a licence application could impact on a designated conservation site. This will allow us to complete the required statutory assessment.

5. Managing the catchment together

5.1 Action on unsustainable abstraction

Our guidance on managing water abstraction gives details on:

• what an unsustainable abstraction is
• the measures available to resolve environmental issues caused by abstraction

WFD Regulations 2017 help us to focus on the ecological ‘health’ of our water environment. Its primary objectives are to prevent deterioration of ecological status or potential (for heavily modified water bodies), and where necessary, to restore ‘good ecological status/potential’ for surface water or ‘good status’ for groundwater. The flow regime is a supporting element to attaining good ecological status.

We will investigate where reduced water flow is contributing to environmental concerns attributed to licensed abstraction. Investigations into the impact caused by these licences may result in options being developed with licence holders on how to improve the sustainability of their abstraction. Options will include a cost and benefit analysis.

5.1.1  Revocation for non-use or reduction of underused licences

There is a large volume of water licensed within abstraction licences that has not been abstracted for a number of years. This limits water availability for those that need it. In some cases, it also represents a significant environmental risk if abstraction were to be restarted.

The Environment Agency has an unused licences programme which aims to reduce licensed abstraction which is not being used. This helps to reduce the risk of future deterioration and may release unused water for future licensing. Most changes to licensed quantities are made voluntarily. However, where there is risk of environmental damage, the Environment Agency can propose the revocation of unused licences. This is done using the legal powers under section 52 of the Water Resources Act 1991.

5.1.2 Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP)

Every 5 years, the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) sets out the requirements on water companies to address unsustainable abstraction. These are needed to meet the WFD Regulations 2017 and national targets.

The current WINEP period is April 2020 to March 2025.

South West Water will be undertaking investigations across all their abstractions and reservoirs in the Tamar catchment. These will consider the existing impacts from the abstractions on river flow and ecology plus in addition, how abstractions may need to change in the future due to likely changes in river flows due to climate change. These investigations will inform decisions about the improvements required in future WINEP cycles. There will also be implementation of actions at Burrator Reservoir to mitigate for the impact of the reservoir on flows and habitats on the River Meavy downstream.

These investigations aim to:

• assess the impact abstractions are having on river flows and groundwater levels
• identify how the licences can be changed to restore flows to protect ecology

Actions identified, including habitat improvements, will be delivered in the next WINEP period from April 2025 to March 2030. We also anticipate further investigations to be delivered during the next WINEP period. The actions and investigations will be confirmed in December 2024.

The process to identify actions for the WINEP has become more collaborative with wider engagement to deliver multiple benefits for catchments. This new process has been used for the next WINEP (2025 to 2030).

5.2   Approaches to sustainable water management

Five regional groups have been created to develop long-term water resources plans up to 2050 and beyond. The Tamar Catchment falls in the West Country Water Resources Group. The area covered by this group includes Cornwall, Devon, South and West Somerset, Bristol Avon, Dorset, and Hampshire Avon.

It is a multi-sector group that includes representatives from:

• water companies
• National Farmers’ Union (NFU)
• Drinking Water Inspectorate
• Consumer Council for Water
• Natural England
• Ofwat
• Canal and Rivers Trust

The regional groups have been tasked with considering the challenges and producing multi-sector regional plans. These will set out how water supply and demand will be managed over the long-term for people, businesses, and agriculture, whilst protecting the environment. They will need to understand environmental needs and develop the long-term environmental destination for water resources by:

• ensuring no deterioration
• addressing unsustainable abstraction
• improving environmental resilience in the face of climate change

The regional plans will set out the actions that water companies and other abstractors will need to take to reach the long-term environmental destination. Draft plans are published on the West Country Water Resources Group. We have provided information to this group to help them identify catchments with existing or potential problems.

5.3   Water rights trading

We want to make it easier to trade water rights. A water rights trade is where a licence holder sells all or part of their water right, as defined by their abstraction licences, to another licence holder on a permanent or temporary basis. In the majority of cases a trade will involve a change in abstraction location or use which we will need to approve through the issue or variation of abstraction licences. Our approach to licensing water rights trades will depend on the water resource availability where the buyer and seller are located.

In licensing trades, as with new abstraction licences, we need to make sure that we do not impact SAC designated species and habitats nor cause any ecological deterioration in WFD Regulations 2017 water body status either within the water bodies where the trade will take place or to downstream water bodies.

This section provides a guide to the potential for trading in water bodies of a particular ALS water resource availability colour, as shown on maps 2 to 5.

To find out more about licence trading, use our guidance on trading water abstraction rights.

5.3.1. Guide to potential trading based on water resource availability

Water available for licensing

Green

There may be opportunities to allow trades of recent actual abstraction and licensed abstraction. But little demand for trading expected within water body as water available for new abstractions.

Restricted water available for licensing

Yellow

There may be opportunities for licence holders to trade up to their full licensed quantities. But the quantities of water available to trade may be restricted once levels of actual abstraction reach sustainable limits. We will not permit licence trades in water bodies where we are taking action to prevent deterioration unless the trade is consistent with achieving water body objectives.

Water not available for licensing

Red

We will only trade recent actual abstraction but no increase in recent actual abstraction is permitted in water body. Licensed abstraction will be recovered for the environment.

Heavily modified water bodies

Grey

Opportunities for trading will depend on local operating agreements and local management.

To find out more about licence trading, use our guidance on trading water abstraction rights.

6. Glossary

Abstraction: Removal of water from a source of supply (surface or groundwater).

Abstraction licence: The authorisation granted by the Environment Agency to allow the removal of water.

Assessment point: A significant point on a river, often where two major rivers join or at a gauging station.

Catchment: The area from which precipitation and groundwater will collect and contribute to the flow of a specific river.

Catchment based approach: Partnership working at the river catchment scale to deliver a range of environmental, social and economic benefits while protecting our precious water environments for the benefit of all.

Consumptive abstraction: Abstraction where a significant proportion of the water is not returned either directly or indirectly to the source of supply after use. For example, for the use of spray irrigation.

Deterioration: Deterioration is a change in the class of any one of the quality elements used to determine the WFD Regulations 2017 status in a water body from its existing class to the class below, or any deterioration within the lowest class. It is not a change within a class unless already in the lowest class.

Discharge: The release of substances (for example, water, treated sewage effluent) into surface waters.

Environmental flow indicator: Flow indicator to prevent environmental deterioration of rivers, set in line with new UK standards set by UKTAG.

Groundwater: Water that is contained in underground rocks.

Hands off flow: A condition attached to an abstraction licence which states that if flow (in the river) falls below the level specified on the licence, the abstractor will be required to reduce or stop the abstraction.

Impoundment: A structure that obstructs or impedes the flow of inland water, such as a dam, weir or other constructed works.

Non-consumptive: Non consumptive water use is a use of water that does not cause a reduction in the source of supply and in which most, if not all of the water is returned without delay to the same source of supply.

Surface water: This is a general term used to describe all water features such as rivers, streams, springs, ponds and lakes.

Water body: Units of either surface water or groundwater which we use to assess water availability.

The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017: Referred to as the WFD Regulations 2017, to provide a framework for managing the water environment in England and Wales. These regulations revoke and replace the European Union Water Framework Directive.