This report presents a framework approach to specifying Enhanced Drainage Ditch Management as a novel method for managing agricultural drainage ditches and small watercourses in rural areas. The approach is based on a combination of three ‘best management practices’ (BMPs), namely two-stage channel cross-sections, low-grade weirs and allowing ditches to be vegetated.
These BMPs come from American catchment management toolboxes. A literature review of studies that have applied these methods was used to provide the evidence base for Enhanced Drainage Ditch Management. This evidence base showed that each of the three BMPs can result in nutrient reductions when applied in isolation, and that their potential for nutrient management is likely to increase if multiple BMPs are used within a single watercourse.
The literature review also analysed factors that are likely to result in an Enhanced Drainage Ditch Management scheme being more effective. The outputs from the literature review were synthesised into a fra