The Welsh and UK Government have announced a new £1 million joint research initiative to tackle water quality issues in the River Wye. The river, which runs for 130 miles from central Wales to the Severn Estuary, has seen its water quality and wildlife drastically decline after years of exposure to agricultural pollution, sewage discharges and phosphates. About 24 million chickens, a quarter of the UK’s poultry production, are raised in the river’s catchment area.

Photo by Ron Lach

The Welsh Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, and UK Government’s Water Minister, Emma Hardy, made the announcement during a roundtable meeting in Monmouth with key stakeholders from both sides of the border.

The comprehensive cross-border research programme is promised to:

• Investigate the sources of the pollution and pressures affecting the river
• Study the impacts of changing farming practices and land management
• Develop and test new ways to improve water quality
• Examine what’s driving wildlife decline and water flow – the movement and quantity of water which is crucial for habitats and species

Ministers say local farmers, environmental groups, and citizen scientists will play a crucial role in gathering evidence and shaping the research priorities. The programme will work closely with established organisations including the Wye Catchment Partnership, the Nutrient Management Board, and farming organisations like Herefordshire Rural Hub and Farm Cymru.