Protecting England’s Small Waters

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  Emma Hardy MP

  Minister for Water and Flooding

  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

  London

  SW1P 4DF

  Dear Minister,

  Protecting England’s Small Waters

  We are writing to draw your attention to the issue of small waters and urge you to recognise

  these overlooked but critically important habitats in upcoming reforms to water policy.

  Small waters, including ponds, headwater streams and small lakes, are a major part of

  England’s freshwater environment and critically important for biodiversity. Because of their

  small catchments, small waters are more likely to contain clean water, and support the species

  which rely on this ever-diminishing resource.

  In practice, almost all small waters have been excluded from statutory monitoring and

  management under the Water Framework Directive. This has stymied investment in simple,

  cost-effective actions like pond creation, and undermined nature recovery.

  Government now has the opportunity to correct this oversight and bring small waters into

  statutory monitoring and management. Because these habitats are comparatively quick and

  easy to create or restore, this modest reform would drive significant near-term progress

  towards England’s nature recovery goals.

  Bringing small waters into the Water Framework Directive would enable the Government to

  bring clean water back to England’s landscapes and begin reversing the long decline of our

  freshwater wildlife.

  In upcoming water reforms, we urge you to ensure small waters are properly recognised,

  protected and supported as a vital part of England’s freshwater environment.

  Yours,

  Chris Hinchliff MP

  Jeremy Biggs, CEO, Freshwater Habitats Trust

  Richard Benwell, CEO, Wildlife and Countryside Link