Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems – Swales

This is an old version of the page

This is an old version of the page

Date published: 30 March, 2015

Date superseded: 5 January, 2016

The aim of this item is to improve water quality by creating a strategically placed swale to slow, treat and control run-off that currently discharges direct to a watercourse or freshwater drain and to direct flow to a point (e.g. a pond) where it can be safely discharged.

The land must be within a diffuse pollution priority catchment or focus area (unless an endorsement has been obtained from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) or a flooding target area.

You must prepare a plan which must include a map of the relevant fields / steading identifying the location of the rural sustainable drainage system feature.

  • only run-off which does not fall within the definition of slurry may be conveyed to a swale
  • run-off from pesticide handling or washdown areas must not be conveyed to a swale

You can claim £21.75 per square metre (excluding fencing).

The inspectors will check:

  • the location and extent of the swale
  • that only run-off which does not fall within the definition of slurry is conveyed to a swale
  • that run-off from pesticide handling or wash-down areas is not conveyed to a swale