Online meeting will probe Scariff water quality issues

IMPROVING the water quality of key waterways in East Clare is to be the subject of an online meeting next Wednesday, June 9 at 7.30pm.
The community information event will focus on the role people can play in improving the Lower River Graney Catchment, which includes Lough O’Grady, flows through Scariff town, and along by Scariff Harbour and Reddan’s Quay in Tuamgraney, before entering Lough Derg.
The catchment forms one of 190 Prioritised Areas for Action (PAA) for focused water quality improvements under the current River Basin Management Plan.
The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works to promote a healthy water environment by identifying water quality issues and seeking ways to improve them.
LAWPRO will be visiting the Lower River Graney Catchment later this year and will work with the public, State agencies and the agricultural and forestry sectors to address water quality issues. LAWPRO encourages local people to get involved in the management of their local water bodies.
Scariff Community Council has been commended for its voluntary work in developing the Riverside Park on the Lower River Graney, often referred to locally as the Scariff River.
The work of the LAWPRO forms part of a new and collaborative approach engaging all stakeholders at a local level.
The process involves scientific assessment of existing information followed by stream walks in the catchment to better understand the issues and develop locally appropriate solutions. The Lower River Graney Catchment was selected as a Prioritised Areas for Action based on strong local community interest, the high amenity and tourism value of the river and Lough Derg and their heritage and cultural associations.
The reasons for unsatisfactory water quality in the Lower River Graney are not yet known. LAWPRO will carry out assessments on the ground to identify what is causing the water quality problems and will work with stakeholders to address them.
Registration for the meeting can be done online at Watersandcommunities.ie or on Facebook @LAWPROteam.
Alternatively, contact Ruairí Ó Conchúir, Community Water Officer on 085-8083715 or roconchuir@lawaters.ie for more information.