HS6: Maintenance of designed/engineered water bodies
What is HS6?
HS6 is an action under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme. It pays £2,512.00 per year for maintenance of designed/engineered water bodies.
What do I need to do?
* Maintain a 4m permanently vegetated grass buffer strip around the water body.
* Maintain a 2m permanently vegetated grass buffer strip around associated features outside the 4m buffer.
* Keep bare ground to a minimum and ensure no more than 25% of the water body is permanently shaded.
* Control scrub and undesirable species to no more than 5% of the perimeter/bank.
* Carry out maintenance on a 'like for like' basis using traditional materials, and keep a structures maintenance record using the template.
What evidence do I need?
The structures maintenance record detailed in the aim.
Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.
* The structures maintenance record detailed in the aim.
How much does HS6 pay?
HS6 pays £2,512.00 per year.
Which land is eligible?
It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on: water bodies with an artificially retained area of open standing water the banks of the water body and buffer strips around associated features (such as leats and culverts) To include areas of water - only land can be included in a claim For field ponds dug to below the water table For water meadows (both bedwork and catch meadow systems) For water bodies that are covered by the [Reservoirs Act 1975](https://weba
Related links
This information is provided by Farmwalk based on published government guidance. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK.