Office of Public Works (OPW)

There are 91 ongoing flood relief schemes, approx half have information websites (linked in Excel where available)

There are 51 completed flood relief schemes (since the first on record in 1997, Gort and Lacken in Co Galway)

The ‘completed’ file gives the total number of premises protected (it would be a load of work to pull this data from pdfs to determine for ongoing/future schemes)

Flood Relief Schemes are typically developed as follows:

Progress a Flood Relief Scheme – this is where OPW and the Local Authority are preparing a tender brief in order to appoint a Consultant.
Stage I – Scheme Development and Preliminary Design
Stage II – Planning Process or Public Exhibition / Confirmation
Stage III – Detailed Design
Stage IV – Implementation/Construction
Stage V – Handover of Works

Schemes flagged with a * are smaller schemes (<€1m) and are progressed directly by the relevant Local Authorities with full funding from the OPW

The OPW data is here https://www.floodinfo.ie/scheme-info/ but you can only sort by 25 projects at a time, so it’s not useful for any analysis

flood-relief-schemes-updated-march-2022 Download

Links the 46 schemes with their own information websites

River Slaney Drainage Scheme / Enniscorthy Flood Relief Scheme (Environmental Documentation)

March 4, 2022adminLeave a comment

355741-n-r-010-d-non-technical-summary Download

355741-r011-e-enviornmental-impact-assessment-report-eiar-1 Download

APPENDICES
A. SCHEME SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Appendix A1 – Exhibition Drawings
Appendix A2 – Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)

B. SCHEME ALTERNATIVES ASSESSMENT ROYAL HASKINONG (2009) AND ROD BRIDGE REVIEW REPORT

C. BIODIVERSITY
C.1_HABITAT REPORT MARCH 2018
C.2_OAK WOODLAND MARCH 2018
C.3_WET WOODLAND MARCH 2018
C.4_MACROPHYTE REPORT MARCH 2018
C.5_MAMMAL SURVEY REPORT MARCH 2018
C.6_BAT REPORT MARCH 2018
C.7_BIRD REPORT MARCH 2018
C.8_AQUATIC ECOLOGY MARCH 2018
C.9 ECOFACT SLANEY FPM SURVEY (15-6-16)
C.10_E MOORKENS SLANEY RIVER FPM SITE VISIT AND CONDITION
ASSESSMENT NOVEMBER 2016
C.11_TECHNICAL APPENDIX, MUSSELS
C.12_ENNISCORTHY BACK CHANNEL MARCH 2018
C.13_TRANSLOCATION FPM PROTOCOL_SENSITIVE _INFORMATION
C.14_FISH TRANSLOCATION MARCH 2018
C.15 APPENDIX FIGURES MARCH 2018

D. HYDROLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY

E. GROUND INVESTIGATIONS INTERPRETIVE REPORT

F. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL PHOTOMONTAGES

G. ARCHAEOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

H. AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE

170068-d03-natura-impact-statement-nis Download

APPENDICES

Appendix A – AA Screening report (Scott Cawley, 2018)

Appendix B – Interim Construction Environmental Management Plan (Mott MacDonald, 2018)

Appendix C – Back Channel Restoration (Ecofact, March 2018)

Appendix D – Macrophyte Survey (Denyer Ecology, July 2017)

Appendix E – Oak Woodland Survey (Denyer Ecology, July 2017)

Appendix F – Wet Woodland Survey (Denyer Ecology, July 2017)

Appendix G – Mammal Survey Report (Scott Cawley, January 2016)

Appendix H – Bird Baseline Surveys (Eleanor Mayes, March 2018)

Appendix I – Aquatic Ecology Survey (Ecofact, March 2018)

Appendix J – Freshwater Pearl Mussel Survey (Ecofact, September 2016)

Appendix K – Aquatic Molluscs: Margaritifera margaritifera (Freshwater Pearl Mussel FPM) and Anodonta anatina (Duck Mussel) (Dr E. Moorkens)

Appendix L – A survey of habitat condition for the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera in the River Slaney at Enniscorthy, County Wexford (Dr E. Moorkens, November 2016)

Appendix M – Hydrology and Geomorphology Study (Mott MacDonald, 2018)

Appendix N – Alluvial Woodland Condition Assessment and Future Prospects (Denyer Ecology, March 2018)

Appendix O – A protocol for the translocation of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera in the River Slaney at Enniscorthy, County Wexford (Dr E. Moorkens, August 2017)

Appendix P – An assessment of hydrological, hydrogeological and geomorphological conditions for the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Margaritifera margaritifera for the potential translocation of mussels from Enniscorthy: Part 1 High Flow Survey (Dr E. Moorkens, February 2018)

Appendix Q – An assessment of hydrological, hydrogeological and geomorphological conditions for the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Margaritifera margaritifera for the potential translocation of mussels from Enniscorthy: Part 2 Low Flow Survey (Dr E. Moorkens, July 2018)

Appendix R – Fish Translocation/Salvage Outline Methodology (Ecofact, April 2018)

229355741-mmd-00-xx-rp-e-0001-eiar-addendum_optimized Download

229355741-mmd-00-xx-rp-e-0002-nis-addendum_optimized_optimized Download

AIE: Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) Working Group

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022adminLeave a comment

AIE 2-2-2022

The Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) Working Group was established to advise the National Technical Implementation Group of the Water Framework Directive on the use of NWRM through Nature Based Catchment Management Solution [NbCMS]. The working group met three times in 2019 and once in 2020. The working group produced two reports, ‘Overview and Recommendations for Use in Ireland’ and ‘Evidence and Opportunities for use in Ireland’. These reports were both finalised in 2020 and presented to the National Technical Implementation Group for their consideration

Please provide the Minutes of the Committee and any documents circulated.

Please provide copies of ‘Overview and Recommendations for Use in Ireland’ and ‘Evidence and Opportunities for use in Ireland’.

decision-aie-2-2022 Download

aie-2-2022-schedule-of-documents Download

1.-agenda-hymo-working-groups-meeting-march-2019_draft Download

2.-nwrm-wg-meeting-agenda_25092019-1 Download

3.-natural-water-retention-measures-working-group-workshop-agenda_03120219 Download

4.-natural-water-retention-measures-wg-meeting_12032019_minutes Download

5.-natural-water-retention-measures-wg-meeting_25092019_final-draft Download

6.-nwrm-slides_12032019_kep Download

7.-20190312_nwrm_opw Download

8.-intro-what-does-the-rbmp-say-about-nwrm Download

Options and Recommendations for the Economic Appraisal of Capital Flood Relief Schemes

February 15, 2022adminLeave a comment

The OPW considers that improvements could be made to its economic assessment of flood relief schemes. This includes that the widest possible range/scope of relevant benefits of such schemes are captured and represented in the business case and that the OPW uses the most appropriate economic appraisal to inform progressing investment in these schemes

The following project objective was agreed with the Steering Group.

To inform the OPW’s €1bn planned investment in approximately 150 flood relief schemes
over the National Development Programme 2018-2027, prepare a report detailing the
recommendations and options for economic appraisal with reference to the Public Spending
Code for appraising government investment in flood relief schemes.

1.-options-and-recommendations-for-the-economic-appraisal-of-capital-flood-relief-schemes-second-issue Download

Economic Appraisal of Flood Relief Schemes Implementation Plan

The purpose of this report is to set out an outline plan for the implementation of the recommendations set out in the Mott MacDonald authored report Options and Recommendations for the Economic Appraisal of Capital Flood Relief Schemes

2.-implementation-plan Download

Review of the OPW Capital Flood Relief Scheme Project Appraisal

3.-nov-2021-review-of-project-appraisal Download

Flood risk plan : Upper and Lower Shannon

February 8, 2022February 8, 2022adminLeave a comment

s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docs.floodinfo.opw/floodinfo_docs/Final_FRMPs_For_Publication/FRMP_Final2018_RiverBasin_25_26.pdf

AIE: Roscommon County Council request for resources for Lough Funshinagh and OPW response Q4 2021

February 8, 2022adminLeave a comment

Appendix A is a letter from Roscommon County Council to the Office Of Public Works on 14 October 2021 where Roscommon County Council indicate that they have a new proposed emergency solution and inform OPW of the Chief Executive Order outlining the decision to progress with an emergency solution and request assistance from OPW “in the form of labour and equipment”

Appendix B is the response from OPW to Roscommon County Council on 15 October 2021 indicating “The design and management of all aspects of these works, including regulatory requirements, are the responsibility of Roscommon County Council. The OPW will continue to provide resources to Roscommon County Council to assist the Council deliver these urgent works”.

appendix-a_lf_2021.10.14 Download

appendix-b_lf_2021.10.15 Download

Lough Funshinagh Case

February 8, 2022adminLeave a comment

2021 No. 1097 J.R. BETWEEN

FRIENDS OF THE IRISH ENVIRONMENT CLG

APPLICANT

AND

ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL

IRELAND AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

RESPONDENT

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT delivered by Mr. Justice Garrett Simons on 28 January 2022

This ruling is delivered in respect of an interlocutory application seeking to restrain the carrying out of development works pending the hearing and determination of these judicial review proceedings. The proceedings question the validity of an order made by the chief executive of Roscommon County Council on 14 October 2021. I will refer to this order as “ the impugned order”. The impugned order purports to authorise the carrying out of what is described as interim flood relief works.

2022_iehc_44 Download

Lough Funshinagh (Roscommon)

February 2, 2022February 2, 2022adminLeave a comment

High Court

Ex Tempore judgment of Simons J ordering a stay on flood works at Loch Funshinagh Co Roscommon

www.courts.ie/viewer/pdf/06a8a947-e1ad-408b-9480-36ea87b3c5aa/2022_IEHC_44.pdf/pdf

Useful Data for Irish River Conservation / Water Quality

Tracking Flood Relief Projects, Water Abstraction & Pollution in Irish Rivers

An Taisce Submission – River Slaney (Enniscorthy) Flood Defence Scheme

Public Consultation Submissions – River Slaney (Enniscorthy) Flood Defence Scheme

OPW Flood Relief Schemes in Excel