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FEATURE Environmental Protection Agency Working Together to Improve
Water Quality in 190 Areas
Jenny Deakin from the EPA outlines the problems with water quality in Ireland, and describes the development and implementation of Ireland’s 2nd Cycle River Basin
Management Plan (2018-2021).
Areas for Action
within regional committee boundaries
Clonmany Malin
DonaghLough Nastackan
and Local Government on 17th April 2018. The River Basin Management Plan sets out to protect and restore our waters – rivers, lakes, ground waters, estuaries and coastal waters in line with the Water Framework Directive. The Directive requires all EU member states to achieve at least Good Ecological Status in all their waters by 2027. The Minister has made a plan that covers the whole of the country, replacing 7 plans from the first planning cycle. Critically, the Plan sets out 190 specific priority areas for action where work will be focussed between now and the end of 2021 to improve water quality in Ireland (Figure 1). The identification of these areas was based on a substantial scientific assessment by the EPA in collaboration with local authorities and other public bodies. The areas and the reasons for their selection are available at www. catchments.ie/areas-for-action. New implementation teams are now in place to progress work in these areas.
T Tyshe
Lingaun
Farahy Clodiagh (Portlaw)Waterford HarbourBannow
Owenmore Milltown (Kerry)
Fahaduff and Upper Maine Allow Owentaraglin
OgeenUpper Funshion Colligan-Bricky-Dungarvan Harbour
Carrowmore
Upper and Lower Deel Bellawaddy
Unshin
Templeport Annalee
Upper Caragh Inny
CarrigdrohidBride (Cork City)
Lough Currane
Lough Fadda/OwnagappulAdrigole
Allua Caha
Owenboy Bandon Estuary
Regions (regional committee boundaries)
Cross Border Eastern Midlands South Eastern South Western Western
Areas for Action
ROI / NI Boundary
County Boundary
0
Owenshagh Glan
30 60 Kms
Clonakilty Rosscarbery
Data Source: EPA/OSi Date: 10/05/2018
1. The governance and delivery structures in place for the first cycle were not as effective as expected
Aille (Clare) Lickeen System
Avonbeg-Avonmore (pH Wicklow 2) Athy Stream Potters and Three Mile Water
St Johnstons
River Finn
Lough Eske Donegal Sw and Murlins
Ballinglen
Tubbercurry Lough Key Nephin Beg/ OwengarveNewportOwengarve CharlestonKillukin/ Shannon
Roo Owenmore/ Templehouse Lake Lough Allen
Cullin/Crumlin
Castlebar/Lannagh Carricknabraher
Big (Louth)
LouisburghBunowen Cloonlavis/Glore Island
BundorraghLough Mask and Carra
Tulsk
Derravaragh Lower Nanny Lough LeneAthboy
Dawros
Failmore Recess
Cashla
Jiggy/Hind
Suck
BoycetownRogerstown Estuary Lough Ennel Upper Tolka
Gageborough Blackwater (Longwood)Santry River
Dodder
Dargle and Carrickmines
Owenriff
Castlegar
Doo Lough and Annageeragh Broadford
Bunow
Borrisoleigh Dinin(South,MainandMuckalee)
What we learned from the first cycle plans
Doonbeg System
Nuenna
Mulkear (Limerick) Brownstown (Pococke)Burren
Derry-Coolboy-Rosnastraw
Owenavorragh Urrin
Arriving at the actions set out in the latest plan was a substantial task. The first plans proved less effective than expected and did not achieve a nett improvement in water quality, despite significant investment in agri- environmental schemes, on-farm storage and urban waste water treatment. Three key learnings from the first plans that helped to shape a new approach for the second plan were that:
Carrigaholt
Owvane
Upper Deel Lee (Tralee) and EstuaryFeale
Groody Clashawley CamogeDead and Cauteen
DrumcomogeAra Aherlow
Duiske
Deenagh
Finow Keel Foherish
Johns Dunhill
Martin
Glenaboy Licky Middleton
Figure 1: Areas for Action, with Local Authority regional committee areas
he most common water quality problem in Ireland is caused by the impact of excess nutrients from agriculture,
significant efforts to address these problems over many years, water quality has not improved nationally; recent reports from the EPA have found declines in the quality of our rivers and high status waters.
2. A multiplicity of river basin districts did not prove effective, either in terms of developing the plans efficiently or in terms of implementing those plans
domestic and urban waste water and other activities on rivers and lakes where they damage the ecology. Sediment is also a problem in places, as well as physical change and damage to our waterways. Despite
To address ongoing water quality challenges, Ireland’s latest River Basin Management Plan was launched by the Minister for Housing, Planning
3. Targets and objectives were not founded on a sufficiently developed evidence base.
Ballinure
Boora
Silver (Kilcormac)Portarlington Liffey Upper (pH Wicklow 1)
Glen Lackagh Leannan
Roosky
Laghy Stream - Bridgetown
Lough Melvin and Drowse
Mountain (Water) and Emy Lake Maghery
Kilroosky Lough Cluster Castletown
Duff
Upper Bonet Lough Gill
Camlin Cloooneigh
Radford
St Clerans Stream
Lorrha Stream Woodford Little Brosna
Upper Boyne
Bleach and Lough Graney
Shallee Lower GraneyBallyfinboy (Upper) ErkinaOwveg (Nore)Derreen and Douglas (Kiltegan)
Avaghlon Glyde-Proules
Cullies
Sheelin(WithInny) Moynalty
Erne Nadreegeel
Kilmainham (Dee)
Ballyroan Graney-LerrSlaneyOw
Wexford Harbour Tay Wexford Coastal Lagoons
Morell
Blackwater (Wexford) Sow
Council Journal 23