Buffer strips along watercourses: legal requirements and dimensions

Buffer strips along watercourses will be mandatory from 2023 under fertiliser legislation and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). They improve water quality, promote biodiversity and are free from fertiliser, plant protection products and biocides. The width varies depending on the type of watercourse: 5 metres for ecologically sensitive and WFD watercourses wider than 10 metres, 5 metres for WFD watercourses up to 10 metres wide, 3 metres for watercourses that do not dry out or dry out only briefly, 1 metre for watercourses that dry out for long periods, and 0 metres for dry ditches and trenches. If the total buffer strip covers more than 4% of the plot, the width may be reduced, depending on the calculation option. The width is determined via ‘1st calculation > 4%’ or ‘2nd calculation > 4%’. Where there is a bank at least 2 metres wide with a slope of up to 1:3, the buffer strip begins 1 metre from the water’s edge. The space between the water’s edge and the buffer strip does not count towards manure application.