Using Moorland to retain water and sequester Carbon

To reduce down stream flooding and, at the same time, sequester vast amounts of carbon

The Problem

Excessive flooding down stream of farmland and moors. Such flooding can also cause run of of fertilisers and pesticides. (See other links)

 The problem - flooding

The Solution

Up stream solutions - solve the problem at its source and then so on as you investigate down stream.

Often in the process there are substantial unlooked for side benefits

In this case the South West Water solution was to dam up the drains in moorland that had been used 50 or so years ago to drain the moors and recreate the natural wetland. Sounds simple.

For the full detailed report click here

The Science and Principles

South West Water took a series problem of run off of water from the moors and tackled it in a simple way. They found that parts of the moors had been drained extensively. This not only meant rapid run off of high volumes of water during long periods of rain, but also had some local but series problem to the farmers who farmed the area with grazing cattle. During droughts the cattle did not see these partly over gown drains and might fall in and break a limb. Because the moors could not retain water in draughts, the farmer had to bring both water and fodder to the cattle.

The solution was to dam up the drains and plant sphagnum moss in the ponds and wet are so recreated. The result was dramatic

The Practical Benefits

On a small scale, during droughts the water had been retained - the cattle could see the holes, indeed they could now drink from the pools. Around the pools the vegetation grew better and so neither fodder nor water was needed - result very happy farmers.

The expected result in water retention was found. The unexpected side benefit was that the sphagnum moss sequestered as much carbon in the relatively small area created to off set the entire electricity use of South West Water

In the process the farmer made more money and South West water had to spend less money on flooding. Also there were local improvement for wild life

A win win win

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