Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Caha Priority Area for Action Desktop Report

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Jan 2020

LAWPRO

One of the 27 catchments included in the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Regulations (SI 269 of 2009). It is failing to meet the conservation objectives for Pearl Mussel under this legislation.


It is not clear what the issue impacting Caha is. Land use in the catchment consists of pasture and forestry. There is potential for sedimentation of the river substrate from recent forest clear-felling as well as historic quarries in the catchment. Both have been identified as potential significant pressures. Agriculture is primarily low intensity, but there are a few dairy farms in the area.

Coolkellure Lake is a 3.5-hectare (Type 7) lake, located in Coolkellure townland, close to the headwaters of Bandon. It is the drinking water source for Dunmanway (abstraction rate of 550 m3/day). It is currently at ‘Moderate’ status. 

Ecological monitoring in Coolkellure lake indicates a nutrient issue in the lake. Macrophyte and phytoplankton communities both show enrichment.

Forestry has been identified as a potential significant issue in the catchment. The lake is bounded by conifer plantation forestry that has been recently clear-felled. Given the proximity to the lake, steep slopes and peaty soils there is the potential for sediment and nutrient runoff to the lake as a result. Local catchment assessment will focus on the tributary streams to assess from where significant issues might be occurring.

There are two quarries that are no longer operational. Both could have been a source of sediment to the river in the past

Additional information requirements

• Felling records needed for Coolkellure lake and Caha_020

• Additional information from Cork Co Co on quarry discharges in Caha 020

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Bleach & Lough Graney Priority Area for Action Desktop Report

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March 2020

LAWPRO

The PAA is located within the Shannon- Graney/Scarriff margaratifera sensitive area (i.e. catchment with previous records of margaritifera but current status unknown).

Land use is mainly forestry. Forestry is the sole significant pressure on this waterbody.

The significant issue impacting on water quality prior to the 2014 decline is likely to have been sediment and the significant pressure was forestry (probably felling, given the low level nutrient peaks observed).
Lough Graney (At Risk)


Moderate ecological status since monitoring commenced in 2007. Status is driven by macrophytes.


Land use in the sub-basin is mainly agriculture with some forestry to the west and north. Agriculture, and forestry are likely the significant pressures on this lake.


The significant issue impacting on water quality is most likely to be phosphorus.

Stream walks are required to identify whether pathways exist between forested areas and the river/its tributaries

Additional information requirements


Talk to Forest Service staff to obtain more detailed information on felling, particularly in the Bleach_010 headwaters during the period Summer 2012 to Summer 2014.


Also obtain information on aerial fertilization programmes undertaken here in the past.

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Boherbue WWTP (Cork)

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Irish Water admitted eight counts of breaching the terms of its licence in connection with levels of ammonia and orthophosphate from a wastewater treatment plant in Boherbue, Co Cork.

The existing plant discharges into the Brogeen river, a protected conservation area and home to the freshwater pearl mussel.

The court heard the level of ammonia discharged into the river was not supposed to exceed 0.5mg per litre, as stated in the plant’s licence, but it has been seven times that over the last four years.

The court heard five times the set limit of orthophosphate discharged into the river.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-40798170.html

EPA file on this Irish Water plant is here:

LAWPRO reports and enforcement actions for FPM catchments

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AIE 17/01/22

Under the AIE Regs to request all LAWPRO reports relating to FPM sites / catchments covered by S.I. No. 355/2018 – European Union Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, see below for list of the 26 sites


To include any LAWPRO reports provided to 3rd parties including EPA, Teagasc/ASSAP and relevant local authorities highlighting specific pressures such as forestry, agriculture, WWTP, quarries, abstraction, peatland drainage/extraction, point sources, physical modifications, and barriers such as weirs/dams/culverts

For the purposes of the above, please consider the years 2019 to current

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2018/si/355/made/en/print?q=Freshwater+Pearl+Mussel

Freshwater Pearl Mussel Plans 2009-2015

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These plans for Irish Freshwater Pearl Mussels were prepared as part of the 1st Cycle of River Basin management Plans for 2009-2015

Freshwater Pearl Mussel Plans 2009-2015

This link includes the following documents:

Freshwater Pearl Mussel Plans 2009-2015

AA for Freshwater Pearl Mussels Natura 2000 Sites.pdf
 
Caragh Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Bundorragha Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Bandon Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Leannan Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Gearhameen Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Owencarrow Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Kerry Blackwater Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Dereen Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Owenagappul Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Eske Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Aughavaud Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Cloon Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Clodiagh Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Allow Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Mountain Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Owenriff Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Currane Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Licky Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Owenea Morphology Field Work Report 20092.pdf
 
Owenmore Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Newport Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Ballymurphy Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Glaskeelan Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Nore Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Munster Blackwater Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Dawros Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Clady Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf
 
Freshwater Pearl Mussel Environmental Report.pdf
 
Sea Scoping Document Sub Basin Mngt Plans.pdf
 
NS2 FPM Digest of Written submissions Feb.2010.pdf
 
NS2 FPM Monitoring Methods Report 160609.pdf
 
Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sub-Basin Management Plan – Literature Review.pdf
 
Second Draft of Allow Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft Cloon Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft Caragh Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft Bundorragha Sub-Plan March 2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Ownagappul Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Owenriff Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Owenmore Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Owenea Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Owencarrow Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Nore Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Newport Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Munster Blackwater Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Mountain Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Licky Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Leannan Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Kerry Blackwater Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Glaskeelan Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Gearhmeen Sub-Plan Feb.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Eske Sub-Plan March 2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Derreen Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Dawros Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Currane Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Clodiagh Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Clady Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Bandon Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Ballymurphy Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf
 
Second Draft of Aughavaud Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf

Freshwater Pearl Mussel: key pressures identified for each prioritised FPM catchment

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Source: SEA Report on FPM sub basin plans (2010), extracted by Jo Naughton

Notes:

  • this data is from 2010, so will need updates
  • AIE submitted to LAWPRO for any unpublished reports on the above catchments (AIE submitted 16/1/22
  • where on-site WWTP is a pressure, there may also be a water abstraction issue
  • abstraction is noted as a key pressure, along with waste water treatment plants
  • the following data is available for mapping overlay: 2021 sheep and cattle census, forestry approvals database, forestry maps, river barriers atlas, quarries, section 4 licences (which may include WWTP discharge licences), and non-drinking water abstraction points
  • the following data is not in the public domain: drinking water related abstraction points, and current/legacy peatland drainage/extraction activities

Freshwater Pearl Mussel: site-specific conservation objectives (SSCOs)

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To date (as of Jan 2022), freshwater pearl mussel SSCOs have been published for just four SACs

Unclear why these sites are not the sites covered by the 8 sites within the FPM Project

Sub-Basin Management Plans

In response to a European Court of Justice case C-282/02 under the Dangerous Substance Directive,

Ireland put in place the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel)

Regulations 2009 (S.I.296 of 2009). These set out legally binding objectives for water quality in those

rivers inhabited by FPM and designated as SACs for the species, and require that the necessary steps

to reach those objectives are taken. S.I.296 also stipulates the following:

 investigation and monitoring within each of the relevant 27 river sub-basins to establish baseline

conditions and threats and pressures to FPM; the preparation of a programme of measures needed to reach the ecological objectives in each relevant river; and the publication of a management plan for each sub-basin.

These management plans do not appear to exist ?

  • 000197  West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC
  • 002162  River Barrow and River Nore SAC (Nore only)

  • 002165  Lower River Shannon SAC

  • 002170  Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) SAC

https://www.npws.ie/research-projects/animal-species/invertebrates/freshwater-pearl-mussel/conservation-objectives

The associated spatial data are available here.  Freshwater pearl mussel SSCOs have been drafted for all other SACs and will be published over time (the list of published SSCOs is here).

These SSCOs, while site-specific, have general application as they utilise standard lists of attributes for each habitat/species and contain useful notes.  All SSCOs are “to restore the favourable conservation condition of the freshwater pearl mussel”.  The freshwater pearl mussel is unique in having environmental objectives established in law (the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) Regulations, S.I. 296 of 2009).  SSCOs for the species include the attributes and targets established in these Regulations.  They also include additional attributes, such as hydrological regime, and expand upon those contained in the Regulations (e.g. using redox measurement, in addition to siltation levels).  The SSCO attributes are based on monitoring and research, and are detailed in Article 17 and freshwater pearl mussel monitoring reports.