Conor Quinlan and Rebecca Quinn
“When fully operational, the assessment and licencing system will result in an applied e-flow methodology that will be as simple as possible, transparent, consistent, and capable of integrating future advances in our regulatory systems and the scientific understanding of the links between hydrology and ecology in our rivers.
Fundamental gaps remain in our knowledge of the links between ecology and hydrology in various Irish landscape settings and river types.
Also, the system has the long-term potential to become integrated with licencing and enforcement databases, with abstraction and discharge data automatically updated from annual environmental reports for example.
In any case, this evidence-based, risk-based, forward-looking approach will enable the EPA to provide a high level of environmental protection and regulatory efficiency in the task of estimating the available surface and groundwater resources nationally into an uncertain future.”
Click to access 05-Quinlan-C-Characterising-environmental-flows-in-Ireland.pdf