Athy Stream: Silt, Sediment and River Restoration Project

Athy Stream: Widespread sediment issues have been identified.

Ongoing work by ASSAP may help reduce the amount of new sediment entering the stream.

However, this will not resolve issues with historic sediment and possible impacts from historical straightening of the channel. There may be need for additional restoration work on this river, however as yet there is no framework for river restoration measures in these scenarios.

These works can be expensive.

No AFA report on catchments.ie

No LAWPRO desktop report publsihed to date

Failmore Priority Area for Action Desktop Report

Aug 2020

LAWPRO

Evidence of Arterial Drainage: No Scheme or District but there is evidence of arterial drainage.

There is no arterial drainage scheme present. From viewing the GeoHive map there would appear to new channels opened since the 1800s, straightening and constructing new channels in order to join up existing river channel to drain the adjacent lands

The generation of sediment loss from land drainage, bank erosion and peat extraction.

Several land drains in the upper reaches of the river that would be transporting sediment to the main channel of the waterbody

Hydromorphology (Overgrazing) is noted as a significant pressure in the Failmore_010, with altered habitat due to morphological changes as the impact. Overgrazing of commonage areas was a significant issue in the late 90s/early 2000s, and Commonage Framework Plans were introduced to resolve significant issues. However, there could still be still isolated problems with overgrazing in the commonage areas of Connemara, but likely not at the same extent as previously seen.

There are no derogation farms in the PAA and the nitrogen per hectare is 30kg/H is the PAA which is low

With the peat cutting areas there are peatland drains, therefore the sediment from the peatland is being transported from the peatland to the river via these drains

Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) Interim Report #2 | 2020

The second Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) interim report, from Teagasc and Dairy Sustainability Ireland, focuses on the continued provision of the ASSAP advisory service and interaction with farmers up until the 31st December 2020.

Progress was made on identifying issues in PAA’s and the implementation of actions on farms with 1,810 farms assessed in total and 391 follow up farm visits conducted. This is despite the impact the Covid 19 pandemic had on the implementation of the programme in 2020 due to restrictions on farm visits.

Diffuse losses of phosphorus (P), sediment and nitrogen (N) to waters continue to dominate as water quality pressures. The loss of P through overland flow, nutrient management, buffers and livestock access to watercourses were identified as key issues contributing to the pressures on waters.

Notes from WFD National Technical Implementation Group minutes (Feb 2020)

ASSAP (Noel Meehan)


o ASSAP are making steady progress with 1247 farm visits and assessments made, and 80 farmer meetings in 68 PAAs.
o There has been a very high level of engagement (96%) although this is expected to slip slightly in future because initial contact has been made with existing Teagasc clients. 90% of farmers who engage have agreed to implement measures.
o 75% of the pressures are from diffuse sources. The main issue is phosphorus reaching watercourses via overland flow on saturated soils and sedimentation which has been found to be a greater issue than expected. There is generally poor implementation of nutrient management plans. Moving drinking water access points and installing stream fencing are among the most challenging measures to implement, with a 50% refusal rate, because of the costs, prospect of a future grant, and/or properties being rented.

o Where new buffer margins are recommended by ASSAP in a PAA, the area inside the fence remains eligible for the basic payment scheme which is a significant recent change that should help to provide an incentive.
o The issues around data protection have been resolved but require a legislative amendment so they can be implemented.
o The focus for the coming months is to concentrate on revisiting farmers to assess whether the measures have been implemented.
o ASSAP advisors are exchanging knowledge and cross-pollinating with other Teagasc advisors. For example, 160 discussion groups have had ASSAP advisor input and there has been integration and training with the other advisors