Illustrated guide to water courses beside grassland (TIN081)

Rivers, streams and ditches supply much of the water we consume and those with high water quality are also valuable wildlife habitats. Water quality can be damaged by intensive grazing, poaching and other soil disturbance. These activities can contaminate water with sediment containing soil, nutrients and pesticides. This not only affects the quality of downstream water supplies, but can smother river gravels and damage fish spawning areas.