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Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

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.


NVZs were most recently reviewed in 2017 and it was concluded that no changes to the data were required.

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Identification info

Alternative title

NVZ

Metadata Language
English
Character set
UTF8
Dataset Reference Date (Creation)
2002-07-01
Dataset Reference Date (Revision)
2016-11-16
Identifier
www.gov.scot / SG_NitrateVulnerableZones
Presentation form
Digital map
Publisher
  Scottish Government - GI-SAT ( Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team )
Victoria Quay , Edinburgh , EH6 6QQ , United Kingdom
Point of contact
  Scottish Government - Water Environment Team ( Environmental Quality Division )
Victoria Quay , Edinburgh , Scotland , EH6 6QQ , United Kingdom
Maintenance and update frequency
As needed

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

  • Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units

IPSV Subjects List

  • Water pollution

  • Environmental monitoring

Limitations on Public Access
Other restrictions
Other constraints
No limitations to public access
Use constraints
Other restrictions
Other constraints
Open Government Licence
Other constraints

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)

Spatial representation type
Vector
Denominator
10000
Topic category
  • Environment
  • Farming
Code
S92000003
N
S
E
W


Temporal reference

Temporal extent
 
Temporal extent
 
 
Code
EPSG:4258
Code
EPSG:27700

Distribution Information

Data format

Data format
Name Version

WMS

1.3.0

WFS

2.0.0

ESRI REST

1.0

ESRI Shapefile

1.0

 

Transfer options

Resource Locator
Protocol Resource Locator Name

OGC:WMS

https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/WMSServer?

NitrateVulnerableZones

OGC:WFS

https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/WFSServer?

AE:NitrateVulnerableZones

WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link

https://maps.gov.scot/server/rest/services/ScotGov/AgricultureEnvironment/MapServer/5

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download

https://maps.gov.scot/ATOM/shapefiles/SG_NitrateVulnerableZones_2016.zip

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

 
 

Data quality info

Quality Scope
Dataset
Conformity
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation
Degree
false
Statement

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.

 

Metadata

File identifier
0bcbd0ce-05e7-4ea3-9cd9-3699cb7a5894 XML
Metadata Language
English
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2023-11-21T15:50:17
Metadata standard name
UK GEMINI
Metadata standard version

2.3

Point of contact

Individual name

GI-SAT

Organisation name

Scottish Government

Position name

Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team

Delivery point

Victoria Quay

City

Edinburgh

Postal code

EH6 6QQ

Country

United Kingdom

Electronic mail address

GI-SAT@gov.scot SAT@gov.sco GI-SAT@gov.scot

Role
Point of contact
Point of contact
  Scottish Government - GI-SAT ( Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team )
Victoria Quay , Edinburgh , EH6 6QQ , United Kingdom
 
 
 

Overviews

N
S
E
W


Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units
IPSV Subjects List
Environmental monitoring Water pollution

Publishing Body

Access the portal
Full access to the portal and metadata.

Associated resources (if any)

Not available


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