Guidance

Water grants 2015: water gates (FG15)

Eligibility and requirements for water gates.

From:
Natural England
Published
2 March 2015

This guidance was withdrawn on

Capital items for improving water quality are now available through the Mid Tier of Countryside Stewardship.

Applies to England

Farmers and other land managers can apply for water grants.

Read the accompanying guidance to find out more about Countryside Stewardship water grants 2015.

How much will be paid

£240 per gate.

Where the item is available

This item is available in Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) target areas. It can only be used on fence lines across streams, with other stock control items.

How this item will benefit the environment

This item will prevent livestock from entering watercourse channels. It will also stop livestock from trampling waterside banks and will leave bankside vegetation lush and unbroken by livestock paths.

Requirements

Contact the Environment Agency (EA) before applying for this item.

Applicants must send a copy of the EA’s advice, and any permits, with their application.

With permission from Natural England, advice and consent can be received up until 29 May 2015; applicants can discuss this with their local CSF officer.

Applicants must send dated photographs of the existing hedges with their application for this item.

On the land

Successful applicants will need to fit a gate across the river or stream. They must make sure that the gate:

  • is framed and made of wood;
  • fits the profile of the river or stream;
  • is made in the traditional local style;
  • matches the fence next to it in height;
  • uses timber that’s fully peeled and tanalised or treated with an approved preservative;
  • can float up and down as the water levels rise and fall;
  • has an approach fence that’s either a post-and-rail or fixed netting fence;
  • is separate (along with the approach fencing) from the main fence line; and
  • meets the relevant British Standards (BS) - check the most up-to-date standards

The gate must consist of a series of wooden droppers attached to a length of wire cable, or a round wooden rail suspended horizontally between straining posts. The droppers must be:

  • at least 50mm square in cross section;
  • made from sawn, untreated timber that’s been drilled and then threaded on to the cable or rail; and
  • separated by 150mm lengths of plastic pipe.

If the stream gully is more than 1.5m deep, the gate can be constructed in several sections. The droppers must be:

  • made of untreated timber;
  • at least 70mm square; and
  • hung on round wooden poles using loops of fencing wire.

Keeping records

Successful applicants will need to keep:

  • dated photographs of the site before and after the work has taken place (submit these with any claim and show them on request); and
  • receipted invoices and bank statements relating to this work

How to carry out this item

The following section gives advice on carrying out this item successfully.

Flood defence consent (FDC) may be needed to use this item near a watercourse or within 10m (this varies with some local byelaws) of the top of a riverbank.

Applicants can get FDC from:

  • the EA (for main rivers);
  • an internal drainage board; or
  • local flood authorities (for ordinary watercourses).

If FDC may be needed, contact the EA first.

This item can be used on the same area as the following items and options:

Published 2 March 2015
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