Cross compliance: water protection (SMR 1) (2026)

The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 require all farms to protect water from pollution. Agricultural pollution can be detrimental to public health, the environment, local communities and to the agricultural industry itself.

The regulations set definitions for some materials and specify measures which must be carried out if you intend to undertake certain agricultural activities. 

In these requirements, surface water includes coastal waters, estuaries, canals, lakes, ponds and watercourses such as rivers, streams and ditches which contain free flowing water; and also includes temporarily dry ditches and blind ditches.

This factsheet should be read in conjunction with the Control of agricultural pollution regulations: guidance.

Silage storage

• make sure that silage storage systems are built in accordance with the relevant construction standards, and field silage site rules are met (see guidance)
• carry out regular inspections of installations and make timely maintenance and repairs where necessary
• notify NRW 14 days before construction of new or substantially enlarged silage clamp see Silage, slurry and other livestock manure storage (on Natural Resources Wales)
• notify NRW of the place where a field silage heap (made on open ground  as opposed to a clamp) is to be made at least 14 days before that site is first used
• comply with any notices served by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that require improvements to be made to an installation or field silage site

Slurry storage

Ensure that all slurry (as defined in the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations: guidance) is collected and stored in systems that meet the construction, capacity,  durability, and safety zone requirements. For details see The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021: guidance for farmers and land managers  

• if separating slurry the liquid fraction is defined as slurry and must be stored in a storage system as required by the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations
• carry out regular inspections of installations and make timely maintenance and repairs where necessary
• notify NRW 14 days before construction of new or substantially enlarged slurry store see Silage, slurry and other livestock manure storage (on Natural Resources Wales)
• comply with any notices served by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that require improvements to be made to a slurry storage installation

Storage of organic manures other than slurry

• comply with rules on the location and storage of solid organic manures, including poultry manure
• comply with the temporary field heap location and duration requirements

Spreading organic manures

• if you spread any organic manure, you must produce and update a risk map of the holding, which must be made available during an inspection or on request Details of what must be included  and guidance on how to produce the risk map is available in the Control of agricultural pollution regulations: guidance
• spread organic and manufactured fertilisers as accurately as possible, taking into account slope, ground cover, proximity to surface water, weather conditions, soil type and presence of land drains and as per Nitrogen plan
• when applying specific organic manure to bare soil or stubble, you must incorporate it into the soil as soon as possible, and within 24 hours at the latest (exemptions may apply – see guidance)
• spread slurry using equipment with a low spreading trajectory (below four metres from the ground
• do not carry out spreading of organic manures within the no spread zones:
  • 50m of a borehole, spring or well
  • 10m of surface water (6m if precision spreading)

Closed periods for high nitrogen organic manures 

• comply with closed periods and post closed period limits for spreading organic manures with high readily available nitrogen (includes slurry and poultry manure)

Sandy or shallow soil

Grassland

Closed period is 1 September to 31 December.

Tillage land

Closed period is 1 August to 31 December.

All other soils 

Grassland

Closed period is 15 October to 15 January.

Tillage land 

Closed period is 1 October to 31 January

Spreading manufactured fertilisers

• manufactured nitrogen fertilisers must not be spread within two metres of surface water
• comply with the closed periods for manufactured nitrogen fertilisers (exemptions may apply). Further clarification regarding closed periods for applying manufactured nitrogen fertiliser are set out in the guidance

Whole holding limit

• across the whole holding you must not exceed a limit of 170kg of Nitrogen (N) per hectare from all livestock manure. This includes direct excreta from animals on the land, and livestock manures spread to land including imported
• this applies to each 12-month period from 1 January 

Field and crop nitrogen limits

• do not spread more than 250 kg/ha total nitrogen from organic manures on any given hectare in any 12-month period
• the total amount of nitrogen (organic and manufactured) permitted to be spread on specified crops must not exceed the maximum nitrogen limit (See guidance for specified individual crop limits)

Record keeping requirements

Ensure compliance with all record keeping requirements. The records required include:

• for all holdings: before 30 April each year details of the number and type of animals on the holding from the previous calendar year and the number of days spent on the holding - to demonstrate adherence to the 170kg/ha Nitrogen limit
• for holdings with slurry storage systems: calculations to demonstrate there is sufficient slurry storage that meets the construction and capacity requirements for all slurry to be produced by animals kept in a building or on hardstanding to comply with the storage period and other requirements
• for holdings with pigs, poultry or other housed animals with no slurry system: calculations to demonstrate sufficient storage that meets the CoAPR requirements for all manure produced
• for holdings spreading nitrogen fertiliser: copies of nitrogen management plan and record of subsequent applications. For holdings importing or exporting livestock manure or slurry – records of all imports and exports to include dates, manure type, volume nitrogen content and destination
• if you spread organic manure, a Risk Map (see ‘Spreading Organic Manures’ below)

Take all sources of nitrogen into account - soil supply,  all organic manures and manufactured fertilisers, when writing your nitrogen plan and calculating nitrogen crop requirements. Full details of all record keeping requirements, including exemptions, are available in the Control of agricultural pollution regulations: guidance.

All records must be kept for a minimum of five years and must be made available during an inspection or requested.  

• construction standards, capacity, durability, maintenance and safety zones for the making and storage of silage in clamps, bales and field heaps
• construction standards, capacity, durability, maintenance and safety zones for slurry storage system
• notification to NRW of any new or substantially re constructed slurry or silage storage system
• compliance with any notices issued by NRW
• assess slurry and manure storage capacity for storage period to comply with closed period(s) and other regulatory requirements
• assessment of regular inspection regime (inspection plan and records, as appropriate for the installation and components) and check for corrosion, damage, and leaks
• organic manures (other than slurry) are stored correctly including temporary field heaps
• applications of organic manures and manufactured fertiliser as required in regulations

• ensure you have read the guidance literature to help you comply with all the requirements
• refer to the guidance which provides templates as an aid to completing the necessary plans, records, and calculations
• refer to the Farm scheme inspections: guide for farmers for further detail on the physical and record check undertaken at inspection
• if contractors are spreading organic manures for you, provide them with a copy of your risk map
• ensure regular soil and manure analysis and use the results to influence nutrient planning, to include phosphate as well as nitrogen

For further information please contact:

• Agricultural Pollution Regulations Helpline (ADAS) 01974 847000
• Natural Resources Wales
• Farming Connect

or see Cross compliance: useful contacts (2026).