Tag Archives: Lough Derg

THE ESB has confirmed that the water level in Lough Derg dropped slightly in last 24 hours and the flow through Parteen Weir will reduce from 440 to 405 cubic metres per second later today (Wednesday). It is expected to remain at this level of discharge for the next few days. This depends on the actual rainfall and the situation will be reviewed again tomorrow (Thursday). This level of water flow continues to have associated flooding to land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir, including the areas of Springfield, Montpelier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick. Note that other areas between Parteen Weir and Limerick may also be vulnerable to flooding due to local issues. ESB is continuing to monitor the situation and is liaising with the relevant county councils.

The ESB has advised that the level in Lough Derg has remained constant in the last 24 hours and the flow of water through Parteen Weir will remain at 440 cubic metres per second today (Tuesday). Although the weather forecast is mixed , ESB expects that the current level of 440 cumecs can be maintained and expect that no further increases in flow will be required over the next couple of days. This will depend on the actual rainfall and the situation will be reviewed again tomorrow. This level of water flow is likely to continue to have associated flooding to land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir, including the areas of Springfield, Montpelier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick. Other areas between Parteen Weir and Limerick may also be vulnerable to flooding due to local issues. ESB is continuing to monitor the situation and is liaising with the relevant local authorities. …

The ESB has confirmed that  the flow of water down the River Shannon through Parteen Weir will remain at 375 cubic metres per second today (Thursday). The levels in Lough Derg are monitored on a daily basis and ESB will advise if that flow is likely to increase. With further rain expected, the level of water flowing down the Shannon may increase over the next number of days. This level of water flow is likely to lead to associated flooding of roads, land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir, including the areas of Springfield, Montpellier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick. ESB is continuing to monitor the situation and is liaising with the relevant county councils.

WATER abstraction from the Lower Shannon at the Parteen Basin has been identified as the “emerging preferred option” to supply a new source of water for the Eastern and Midlands regions. Details of the emerging preferred option are to be be unveiled this Thursday by Irish Water. However, The Clare Champion can reveal that a report published by Irish Water has found the abstraction of water at Parteen Basin has the least environmental impact of the four options considered. It can avail of existing hydro-power infrastructure which ensures the proposed water abstraction can be implemented within existing normal operating water levels and with no impact on statutory flow requirements in the Lower Shannon, meaning there is limited impact on the lake. Abstraction from hydropower facilities is common practice worldwide and the Parteen Basin option will use a small fraction, about 2%, of hydropower water, which would otherwise have been used for power generation and then discharged to sea. Irish Water …

THE local economy benefitted from more than €519,000 thanks to another highly successful summer, with visitors converging in large numbers in Mountshannon to see the successful breeding pair of White-tailed Sea Eagles. The total revenue taken in from May 12 to September 13 this year was €519,800. in comparision, revenue of €508,166 was taken in between July and mid-September of 2014. Speaking to The Clare Champion, Clare heritage officer Congella McGuire said “conservative figures and minimum estimates” suggest that at least 9,000 people visited the White-tailed Sea Eagle Viewing and Information Point at Mountshannon Pier this summer. Last year an estimated 10,000 people were recorded as having visited the amenity over a 10-week period from July 1 to mid-September. Ms McGuire said they are “very happy” with the number of visitors who are coming to the East Clare tourist attraction. She said visitor numbers this summer had not been recorded with the same degree of certainty as last year but …

A team of specialists has been appointed to prepare a Visitor Management and Sustainable Tourism Development Plan for Holy Island on Lough Derg. Clare County Council has announced that Dublin-based Solearth Architecture has been engaged to prepare proposals in relation to improving access to the island and the provision of tourism facilities on or near the island, as well as proposals on the marketing and promoting of the island as a visitor destination. In June last, the council acquired 41 acres on Holy Island which, together with the two acres already in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), resulted in the entire island being brought into public ownership for the first time. Dating back to the 7th century, the island is one of the most important historical and ecclesiastical sites in Ireland, and it has important links to Brian Ború. Buildings on the island include a 24-metre high round tower, an oratory, and a number of churches. …

Ireland’s bathing waters are of still of a very high standard, even if they are a bit cooler than popular European holiday destinations, according to the EPA. Around three-quarters of all Irish bathing waters (128 coastal and 9 inland waters) met the new stricter standard of ‘Excellent’ quality based on an assessment of data for the period 2011-2014. Eleven bathing waters in County Clare achieved the ‘Excellent’ standard rating, including Ballyallia Lake, Ballycuggeran, Bishopsquater, Cappagh Pier in Kilrush, Fanore, Kilkee, Lahinch, Mountshannon, Lough Derg, Spanish Point and White Strand – Doonbeg and Miltown Malbay. Current water quality at most sites around the country is extremely good with only a few problems having been reported to SPLASH (splash.epa.ie), the national bathing water website. The website has an interactive, colour-coded map that allows people to check out any of the 137 EU identified bathing waters. Peter Webster, senior scientist at the EPA and author of the 2014 Bathing Water report commented, “Despite …

Clare County Council’s opposition to the proposed Lough Derg water abstraction project may be drowned by the huge waves of support from vested interests in the east of the country, local councillors have claimed. Councillors have warned that the lack of professional, technical and engineering support for their objections makes it harder to fight the huge volume of submissions supporting the planned abstraction of over 330 million litres of water daily from Lough Derg, to supply the greater Dublin region. Local councillors expressed trenchant opposition to Irish Water’s plans to take water from the lake at a special briefing session for the Killaloe Municipal District. Councillor Pat Hayes lamented the fact there is “no one to fight for our side” and noted the former North Tipperary Council still had not made a submission after entering into an agreement with the previous promoters of this project, Dublin City Council, to get financial assistance for an independent assessment of the plans. Claiming …