Drainage benefits and farmer uptake

As part of the Severn Trent Water Authority's need to improve managerial decision on future projects, post appraisals of completed projects have been instigated. These can involve either a comprehensive review of all aspects or the project or, alternatively, can consider key parameters only. In the case of agricultural land drainage schemes key parameters have been identified as the benefits resulting from schemes and the rate of uptake of these benefits by farmers. The investment of public funds in improved agricultural land drainage is normally justified in terms of the resultant net increase in the value of agricultural production.