Agricultural Consent Monitoring and Ecological Enhancement

Since 2021, Instream has been working with MHV Water to monitor the ecological health of waterways across its scheme area and support the ongoing management of its agricultural discharge consents.

Our role has included providing oversight and quality assurance for a monthly water quality and ecological monitoring programme, undertaking annual ecological surveys, and preparing annual reports that bring the results together to assess the condition of monitored waterways, identify potential pressures on ecological values, and highlight opportunities for improvement.

As MHV’s five-year baseline monitoring period approaches completion, Instream has been working closely with the scheme to look beyond simply meeting consent requirements and identify practical, achievable ways to improve ecological outcomes. This has included assessing more than 8 km of waterway, combining stream walks, drone surveys, and spatial mapping to assess riparian and instream values, opportunities for enhancement, and areas where targeted investment can deliver the greatest environmental benefit. We focus on providing practical solutions that work on farm, while delivering meaningful improvements for the environment.

We’re excited to be supporting MHV through the next stage of the programme as it moves from baseline monitoring towards targeted ecological enhancement and reconsenting. Watch this space for what comes next.