Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
NVZ
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are areas within Scotland that contain surface water or groundwater that is susceptible to nitrate pollution from agricultural activities. They are designated in accordance with the requirements of the European Commision's Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC, aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Scottish Government is responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of the aquatic environment, and carries out a review of the NVZ areas every four years. In 2016, five areas of Scotland were designated as NVZs under the following regulations: The Designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/373). The five NVZ areas were designated as nitrate levels from agricultural sources either resulted, or would likely result, in a concentration equal or exceeding 50 milligrammes of nitrate per litre of water in either surface water or groundwater. The five areas within Scotland, currently designated as NVZs, are: Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray, Strathmore and Fife, Stranraer Lowlands, Edinburgh, East Lothian and Borders, and Lower Nithsdale.
dataset
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/WMSServer?
protocol: OGC:WMS
name: NitrateVulnerableZones
description: OGC View Service
function: information
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/WFSServer?
protocol: OGC:WFS
name: AE:NitrateVulnerableZones
description: OGC Feature Download Service
function: download
https://maps.gov.scot/server/rest/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/5
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
description: ESRI REST Service
function: download
https://maps.gov.scot/ATOM/shapefiles/SG_NitrateVulnerableZones_2016.zip
protocol: WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download
name: Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
description: ESRI Shapefile Download
function: download
SG_NitrateVulnerableZones
www.gov.scot
eng
environment
farming
Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units
publication
2008-06-01
Water pollution
Environmental monitoring
publication
2020-11-18
-8.80
-0.71
60.87
54.63
creation
2002-07-01
revision
2016-11-16
asNeeded
The Nitrate Vulnerable Zone boundaries were delineated by the Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team (GI-SAT) on behalf of the Environmental Quality Division. The first step was to look at the previous NVZ boundaries from 2002 and compare them with ground water body data from BGS and Scottish Water. This information was used to produce a first draft of the new boundaries, which were then clipped to field boundaries and put out to consultation. Following responses amendments were made and also consideration of estimated borehole catchment from Scottish Water. Next, boundaries were re-adjusted to fields and the mean high water spring (unless fields fell below the mean high water spring). An amendment was made to the River Nith and Lochar Water, such that field and mean high water boundaries are followed further up the estuary.
publication
2010-12-08
false
WMS
1.3.0
The following attribution statement must be used to acknowledge the source of the information: Copyright Scottish Government, contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (insert year)
Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
United Kingdom
publisher
Environmental Quality Division
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
United Kingdom
pointOfContact
Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
United Kingdom
pointOfContact
2021-01-14T13:20:19