Somerset farmers are being invited to bid for £60,000 worth of works to reduce flooding, boost agriculture and improve the environment.
The auction is the sixth to be held since 2017 - and this year there is one big change.
The focus this year is on the upper and mid-level catchments of the Axe, Brue and Frome rivers within Somerset, and the upper and mid-level catchments of rivers and streams within West Somerset.
The River Parrett and River Tone catchments are not included, to avoid duplication with the Somerset Levels Catchment Market being run by Wessex Water's EnTrade.
The event is being organised by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest (FWAG SW) for Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) and Bristol Water.
Cllr David Hall, Chair of Somerset Rivers Authority, said: “This year farmers have a choice of up to 14 different improvements to bid for, more than ever before.
"Hundreds of hectares of land, and many local communities, could benefit from activities that help to reduce flooding and improve farmland and the environment.
"I strongly urge farmers to get involved and give it a go."
The auction will run online from Monday, March 14 to Monday, March 28 at somerset.naturebid.org.uk.
The online system works by letting farmers pinpoint places on their land where they believe selected activities would get good flood management results, then they bid for funding.
After the auction closes, bids get checked by FWAG SW. Grants from the SRA and Bristol Water are given to the best, most competitively priced ideas.
The 14 natural flood management (NFM) measures for which grants will be given this year are: Maize management, Grassland subsoiling, Grassland slitting, Flow Spreaders, Grass buffers to intercept run-off, New grassed shallow ditches (grass swales), Cross-slope hedge planting, Cross-slop hedge planting on banks, Restoration/enhancement of existing cross-slope hedgerows, Cross-slope woodland planting, Leaky dams, Offline storage ponds, Filter fences and – only available in the Bristol Water areas – watercourse fencing to help improve water quality and livestock’s safety.
As the main purpose of NFM activities in Somerset is to slow the flow of water down through the higher parts of river catchments, the online auction system will not allow bids to be made for most of the low-lying land in Internal Drainage Board areas.
The only exception – because of Bristol Water’s involvement – is the chunk of the Somerset Levels near Westbury-sub-Mendip.
The funding available is £60,000, with £40,000 coming from the SRA, and £20,000 from Bristol Water.
The £20,000 from Bristol Water is reserved for two areas, around Westbury-sub-Mendip and near Frome - highlighted in green on the map below.
The first area is within roughly four miles of Westbury-sub-Mendip and includes Chewton Mendip, Wookey, Wedmore, and Cheddar.
The second area is the Egford Borehole catchment north of Nunney, near Frome.
Bristol Water especially wants to reduce the amount of soil and nutrients running off into watercourses and reservoirs or leaching into the ground. Cleaner water lowers water treatment costs, and is healthier for wildlife.
Ben Hutton, of New Manor Farm in Witham Friary near Frome, urged farmers to participate. Last year he got grants for maize management and grassland slitting. He said: “It took just minutes to place my bid online, and in return I’ve been able to make farm improvements which have had a really positive environmental impact. I would definitely not miss out on this opportunity.”
The online system works by letting farmers pinpoint places on their land where they believe selected activities would get good flood management results, then they bid for funding.
After the auction closes, bids get checked by FWAG SW. Grants from the SRA and Bristol Water are given to the best, most competitively priced ideas.
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