Support for concerns over Shannon management

Councillors in South-East Clare have backed a submission from a residents’ group in Clonlara requesting an independent review of the flood management of the River Shannon to prevent a repeat of the devastation caused in the area last November.

A submission from residents in Springfield, Clonlara for the national flood review was discussed behind closed doors at a Killaloe Electoral Area meeting in the Scariff area offices on Thursday.
However, The Clare Champion has learned that the submission containing a series of questions about the ESB’s management of the flooding was supported in a letter signed by Councillors Pascal Fitzgerald, Michael Begley, Cathal Crowe, Pat Burke, Joe Cooney and Pat Hayes.
While most of the residents live at least three-quarters of a mile away from the Shannon, the submission blamed bad management of the waterway for the regular incidence of flooding in Springfield, Clonlara in 1995, 1999, 2006 and 2009.
It called for an independent expert to establish whether the ESB followed best practice when dealing with the last four major flooding incidents and if the agency learned anything from the latest inundation.
Ardnacrusha power plant manager Senan Colleran informed residents at a meeting in November 2009 that it took six days for floodwater to reach Parteen Weir from Lough Allen.
The submission asked the company whether water was released on a gradual basis to make way for the extra water along with a series of questions including why the company is allowed to regulate themselves, why residents got no flood warning last November and whether the Parteen Weir could be manned during the winter months to prevent flooding at Springfield.
“The group wants winter levels in Lough Derg reviewed, with a view to lowering it. The growth and vegetation on the River Shannon should be reviewed with a view to removing it as we believe it greatly affects the free flow of the river.
“At a recent meeting, it was stated that after electricity generation, flood management was the ESB’s next priority. We feel this situation in our area needs to be changed, bearing in mind the small amount of electricity being generated by the Ardnacrusha Power Plant; 1% was the figure we were given.
“Does this 1% justify all the misery and hardship that residents experience almost on an annual basis,” the submission asked.
“Residents feel Springfield is viewed by the ESB as ‘collateral damage’ ie, they flood us to save the bigger urban areas. We would like to see one agency responsible for the River Shannon. At the moment there are at least six involved.
“When any work needs to be done or if anything goes wrong, nobody wants to accept responsibility, they all pass the buck to each other. Residents can’t continue to live like this. When we have excess rainfall are we going to be flooded out of our homes yet again,” the submission added.
At the time of going to press, no comment was received for ESB