]> 2026-04-12T14:20:25+00:00 Case study:Exmoor Mires Partnership 500 en Approved South West Water Exmoor Mires Partnership Environment Agency Natural England Historic England Exmoor National Park Authoity University of Exeter Landowners and farmers South West Water Environment Agency Natural England Yes No Yes false No 51.1407656,-3.747981 Morag South West Water Angus ,, Surface drainage systems improved, Moorland restoration,,,, Surface drainage systems improved Moorland restoration 23731 Environment Agency, Exmoor Mires Partnership, Exmoor National Park Authoity, Historic England, Landowners and farmers, Natural England, University of Exeter 36 Exmoor.png 2010 2455197.5 In progress The shallow and maritime peatlands of Exmoor in south-west England (Map 1) have been heavily influenced by human activity over many centuries, with significant areas drained in the 19th and 20th centuries in an effort to improve agricultural productivity. Water is no longer stored as efficiently in the peat. During periods of high rainfall, more water runs off the land and flows downstream into already swollen rivers. In dry periods, river baseflows are poorly maintained. The peatlands have become dry and consequently are losing more carbon (via both fluvial and gaseous pathways) than they accumulate. The quality of water leaving the peat bogs is also deteriorating. The holistic, multiple benefits approach provided by the Exmoor Mires Partnership is helping the peatlands to recover to their more natural ecohydrological structure and function. * Cost: £4.5 million (2010 to 2020) to restore 3,000ha of peatland, with 1,400ha achieved by December 2016. * Water storage: A rise in the water table level of 2.65cm on average across the areas monitored and up to 21cm in some deeper peat locations. * A 33% reduction in storm flow leaving the restored sites, equivalent to 6,630 Olympic-sized swimming pools when extrapolated across the total restored area. * Examination of the hydrograph and flow duration curve at the Spooners monitoring catchment shows a clear increase in base flow levels post restoration. * Water quality: An overall reduction in the total carbon yield from the restored sites of up to 50% since restoration. * Biodiversity: 31% of Exmoor peatlands were restored to their ecohydrological function, contributing 1,400ha by December 2016 to the national Priority Blanket Bog habitat restoration targets. Exmoor Mires Partnership exmoor mires partnership http://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/36_exmoor.pdf No Exe exe Flood risk management Habitat and biodiversity Hydromorphology Land use management - agriculture Land use management - forestry Monitoring Social benefits Water quality Peat 2018-11-05T17:18:29Z 2458428.221169 2024-09-16T13:55:07Z 2460570.0799421 Exmoor Mires Partnership 500 [2,"smw_unitnotallowed","\u00a3"] Exmoor Mires Partnership# ERR7c4821480ce616a602940635f30465e2