Teagasc has appointed six catchment co-ordinators to lead a multi actor approach to improve water quality in eight of Ireland’s most important rivers.

This is part of Teagasc's Better Farming for Water campaign.

Fiona Doolan will be the co-ordinator for the Boyne catchment, Philip Murphy in the Blackwater catchment, Claire Mooney in the Suir catchment, Neilus Nunan in the Slaney catchment, Oisín Coakley in the Lee and Bandon catchment and Ciaran Sheelan in the Nore and Barrow catchment.

They will co-ordinate the efforts of all relevant stakeholders to put in place a comprehensive plan to improve water quality. Stakeholders include farmers, Teagasc, private agricultural consultants, industry representatives, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), local authorities, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and community groups.

Noel Meehan, Head of the Teagasc water quality knowledge transfer Department said: “I look forward to working with the six catchment co-ordinators in what is a very important role under the Teagasc Better Farming for Water Campaign.

"To succeed in improving water quality in the eight selected catchments, all stakeholders will be required to play their part in a collective effort of planning and actions. Key to realising improvements is the careful targeting of the right measure in the right place alongside high levels of implementation at farm level. We have a great opportunity to use the Better Farming for Water campaign to support farmers in the implementation of water protection measures and to have a period of sustained water quality improvement.”

The Teagasc Better Farming for Water campaign focuses on eight-actions for change:

• Reduce purchased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) surplus per hectare.

• Ensure soil fertility is optimal for lime, phosphorus and potassium.

• Ensure application of fertiliser and organic manure at appropriate times and conditions.

• Have sufficient slurry and soiled water storage capacity.

• Manage and minimise nutrient loss from farmyards and roadways.

• Fence off watercourses to prevent cattle access.

• Promote targeted use of mitigation actions such as riparian margins, buffer strips and sediment traps to mitigate nutrient and sediment loss to water.

• Maintain over-winter green cover to reduce nutrient leaching from tillage soils.