The protection of high-status water bodies is one of the main priorities of the current River Basin Management Plan.
The Plan sets out several actions to protect and improve high status waters including the establishment of a blue dot catchment programme.
A coordinator for the programme has been appointed by LAWPRO and a steering committee established, chaired by Kerry County Council.
Blue Dot National Steering Group had its inaugural meeting in January 2019.
Chairman: John Breen, Director of Services for Water, Environment, Fire and Library Services, Kerry County Council
Members unknown but representatives from:
Blue Dot Working Group
Local Authority Waters Programme
Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
Kerry County Council
Wicklow County Council
Donegal County Council
Mayo County Council
Coillte
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – Agriculture & Forest Service
Environmental Protection Agency
Irish Water
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Office of Public Works
The Steering Group met three times between January and May 2019.
Work programme drafted and presented for review to the Steering Group and other bodies for feedback in 2019.
Adopted the work programme in September 2019
“Visioning” workshop was held on 5th March 2020
LAWPRO have also formed an internal Blue Dot working group to support the role of the Blue Dot Scientist and develop guidance on local catchment assessments in high status objective water bodies.
AIE:
Dear AIE Officer
The Blue Dot Catchments Programme aims to protect and restore high status waters in Ireland
Request under the AIE Regulations for an electronic copy of the following documentation
1) List of members of the Blue Dots Programme Steering Committee (Chaired by John Breen, Kerry CoCo)
2) Agendas/minutes of the meetings of the Blue Dot steering committee for 2021-2022
3) Work programme as adopted for 2021-22
Note
This AIE has been cc’d to Kerry CoCo and Tipperary CoCo as unclear which authority is the appropriate authority for managing the Blue Dot programme
Blue Dot Steering Group Minutes
Update on Red Dot+ Programme presented by EPA
Proposed Red Dot approach is to identify where there are issues, notify the relevant ROCs, and then investigate and address the issues
• 8 site notifications in 2020: 2 red dot sites (Ara and Sruhanagarve), 3 toxic impact sites (all on the Dawros river), 1 fish kill site (Nore) and 2 sites that declined by two status classes (Carhoo and Camlin).
• End of 2016-2018, there were seven red dot sites. All have improved but remain unsatisfactory (6 poor and 1 moderate).
• The 2 new Red Dot sites in 2019 improved to Poor in 2020.
• 2 new Red Dot sites in 2020
Forest Service: planning to join a field assessment following a Red Dot notification in Longford in an area with forestry.
RED DOT + Notifications 2020 update
Dr Catherine Bradley, Ecological Monitoring & Assessment Unit, Environmental Protection Agency
Blue Dot Communications and Engagement Plan
Incorporating Blue Dot into Community & RBMP operational work
Presentation: Wild Western Peatlands (Coillte)
Shortlisted Sites
01 Glentornan Co. Donegal
02 Glennamong, Co. Mayo
03 Derryclare, Co. Galway
04 Cappaghoosh, Co. Galway
05 Derrynafulla, Co. Cork
Blue Dot Forestry
Ken Bucke, Forestry Inspector, DAFM
11% of total land area, aiming for 18% by 2046
Almost half of forests (49.2%) in private ownership (21,000 owners, 85% of which are farmers)
Export-oriented forest products sector, with over 80% of wood-based panels being exported
Coillte is the major forest owner in Blue Dot catchments
Waters of Life -IP
Blue Dot Steering Committee Meeting 3rd Dec 2021
Blue Dot Scientist’s Updates (Dec 2021)
64 Blue Dots across 45 PAA
– 13 returned to high Ecological Status 13-18
– 4 returned to High Biological Status, failing for Hymo (1 lake also for total phosphorous)
• LCA complete in 34 waterbodies
Referrals
• 18 Blue Dots have ASSAP referrals
• 6 Blue Dots have referrals for other bodies on the app
• ~ 10 Protect referrals for Forestry
Pressures
– Close to even split between the three main pressures, Hymo, Ag and Forestry
Maximising the potential of the LEADER for Blue dot catchment management