HEF8: Maintain designed or engineered waterbodies
What is HEF8?
HEF8 is an action under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme. It pays £2,512 per year for maintain designed or engineered waterbodies.
What do I need to do?
* Establish and maintain a permanently vegetated buffer strip that is 4m to 20m wide around the water body and its associated features.
* Maintain the buffer strip by minimising bare ground, compaction, and scrub , ensuring no more than a quarter of the water body is permanently shaded , and removing all cut material.
* Complete a visual assessment of structural features annually and carry out like-for-like maintenance works and minor repairs.
* Do not alter the depth, shape, profile, or design of the water body or erect new fences.
You must establish and maintain a permanently vegetated buffer strip that’s:
What evidence do I need?
You must keep the required structures maintenance record.
You must also keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
photographs or other documentation
If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence.
How much does HEF8 pay?
HEF8 pays £2,512 per year.
Which land is eligible?
An eligible designed or engineered water body for this action must have an artificially retained area of open standing water. There may be associated structural water control features, such as leats and culverts. The following waterbodies are not eligible for this action: field ponds dug to below the water table water meadows (both bedwork and catch meadow systems) * water bodies that are covered by the Reservoirs Act 1975 * raised water bodies
Related links
This information is provided by Farmwalk based on published government guidance. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK.