Environments 1 Irzd icato rs

Sustainabili ty

Sustainability is cortsldemd to be a cornerstone of

environmental policy in Ireland. Development must

be accommodated within the capacity of the

environment to support it, without the envimnmcnt

suffering lasting damage or depletion. All major sectoral policies art required to adbere to this

principle. In d-e National Development Plan 1994- 1999 the principle of integrating environmental considerations into the key sectoral areas (the

integration principle) has been adopted. It

recognis the need to maintain a SOWXI environmtnt

as the natural nmuroc base and gumamtorof arange

of won~mic activities.

Interest in sustainable development and public

concern regarding cnvironmental threats q u i r e s a

capability to assess and monitor the state of the

cnvimmt, end also to dctea changing conditions

and trends. There is increasing interest in the

measurement of envimmental pwformance and In evaluating how well th~ Eovemment is cbing in its efforts to implement domestic environmental

policies and to mBet international commitments.

Envimmntal indicators arc increasingly seen as one of the tools necessary for helping to chiut and track the course towards a sustainable future (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Dcvelopmtnt ( O B ) 1994).

Indicators

An indicator can bc dcflned as I parameter, or a

value derived from parameters, which provider

infannntimmrboutaphenomwum. ldicntc~~radupc

the number of pmters which d l y would be

required to give an “exact” presentation of a

situation. They simplify the conlmunication process

by which the ~ e d t c l OF nwsurcment arc provided to

ihe user.

A number of differant cw~xptual frameworks have

been produd allowing for the identification and

development of environmental indicators. At the

international level the OECD uses the hessure-

StataRespnse framework. This describes the

coflcepf where human activities exert pressures on the environment. Thwe pressures m u l t in tl change

In thc quality and quantity of natural murccs and a

change in the r W of the environment. Society then

has a response to these changes through

environmental general economic and sectoral

policies.

The Pressure-St~ta-Response framework thus

distinguishes thrat biud t y p of idilltors;

+ indicatws of envinmmental cotaditions or state;

It is considered that a Pressure-State-Response

approach is appwpsiate for use by the Lough Derg

and Lough Ree Catchment Monitoring and

Manqpmemt System. The projm& envimmental

indidcm are presentad in Table 16 and will be used

m o o n ~ i o n with h 01s ta masm the succcss

ofthe prwent catcbmcnt mwagmmt pogramme.

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Environmental Indicators

Table 16 Pro@ Environmental Indicators - Prassure Indicators

Kesponse Indicators I

4

+

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Environmental Ind icatu rs Catchment Monitoring di Managmwnr System

e

Agricultural Indicators

To encourage gmd envimmaatal mmagemnt at

fm kvel the Government has Ialmdled a National

Strategy for sustainable devetopmant which

incorporates a range of actlons (Department of Envimmat and h l Government, 1997):

ACodeofWAgrlculnaalRmicetoRntact

watars Rom pdlution by N i m a was hunehbd

in July 1%.

Revised recommended application rates for

phosphorus fertilisers for grassland were lacmched in D6Cemk 1996. Towerds this&,

the National StrMCgy has rnm It r#luctiom of 10% per m u m in artificial pkspbus fertiliser

usage over a five period.

Nutrient advice for phosphorus and Pomdurn Fmiliser use was launched in July 1998.

- A code af Good Agricult~d Ractiice for the

use of Biosolids in Agriculture is being

devclopod.

- Nutrienr Management Plans provide an

opportunity both to minimise adverse

environmental effects and to make the most efficient use of economic resources. Nutrient

Management Plans art a feature of the Rural Envimmental Roadion Scheme (REPS). The Departmen# of Agriculture and Focd has targeted

up to 3096 of f m to be pticipating in REPS

by 1999.

In order to assess the effectiveness of these

strategies. a series of agricultural environmental

indicators are pmpsed for the Lough Derg and

Lmgh R e catchment as presented in Table 16. The following baseline conditions were established in

order b identify fume mends and to gauge pmg~ss.

10 - 9 -

8 -

7 - Q k r b.

a 3 -

W

3 I: P I '

2 -

1.

o - l . . . . . . . . . . . T . . . . . l . . .............T...............,.,

1950 lpdo 1970 1980 1990

Y#

m

Figure 3 Trends in National Soil Phosphorus Leveh and Fertiliser Use 1951-1997

Source: Teagasc

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En v i ro iz m e n ta I Indica f o m Lough Der8 &Lough Ree Chemical Fertiliser hading

The dctermirWon of future trcr~ds will aeptnd on

the availabikity of fuwte Teagasc pcriadic fertiliser

use surveys.

Organic Fertiliser hading

The organic fertilistr W i n g has ken establishsd

based on livestock numbers (1991 census) and

standard animal nutrient production rates. The

estimated organic loading to each of the main

subcakhments is pacsented in Tabk I8 and Map 18.

Table 17 htimafe of Chedcal Fertiliser Loading (1995)

Subatchmcnt pbaqhonu N l t m

Ballyfinboy 11.0 62.3

B m a 8.6 55.7

Camlin 8.5 59.0

Gr;mey 5.3 37.4

WlJye*r) (WW'y-1

Hind 10.5 74.8

hfiY 8.4 59.2

KilcrowKappagh 8.0 54.3

L i t t l e Bmna 9. I 56.5

Nenagh 9.6 61.2

Rinn 7.7 52.6

Shannon (at R ~ s k y ) 5.7 4. I

Shannon Corridor 7.9 51.5

Suck 7.9 54.0 3.4 22.8 1

Snrrrce: Teagasc

i

1

b

Map 17 Chemical P Fertiliser Luadhg (1995)

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Env i m It m en ta I In dicato rs

Table 18 FMmate of Organic Fertflkr Loading

(1991)

Soume: Tengm

Soil Phosphorus Levels

variations as evidenced by the detailed Soil surveys

undertaken withln the selected agricultural mini-

catchmnts.

Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS)

The Deplment of Agriculture and powl has made

available the area of land under REPS within the

catchment F a t e d in Table 19 and Map 19 to

provide baseline d i t i w r s lkernber 1997).

i

I

Map 19 uptake of REPS @ec 1W)

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En v i run rn en t a 1 Indica tu rs Lough Derg &Lough Ree Table 19 Uptake of REI% (Decemaer 1997)

E==-

Towns and Industrial Indiwhrs

The PhospdKwUs and BOD emissions to waters from

urban ~~ggglomrati~ns and industry will be quantified through the c m t monitoring pmgramme.

The present market share of Phosphate-free

duergcnts will be ascertained with the cowration of the Irish Detergent and Allied Products

Association. This will form a baseline to evaluate

the effectiveness d future promotional pmgrammes

a i d at increasing their market share.

49

Water Quality Indimtors

Water quality response to the catchment

managemt progmmc will be evaluated %$inst

existing conditions (1 995- 1997) for both rivers

(Msq~ 13,14 d 16) and lakes (Tabb 13 and 14).

Revious invtstigations of Laugh Derg (Bowman er al, 1993) and Lmgh Roe (Bowman, I%), Table 20,

provide b d i m ex- rates to the lakes and

will be UGtd far comparison with the results of the

curcent monitoring programme.

TaMe 20 MRP mort Rates (1991-1994)

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Consultations Catchment Monitoring

& Management Sysiern

Primary Consultees

Implementation of the Lough Derg W b u g h Ret

Catchment Monitoring and Msmagcment System is

overseen by an Operational Management Group representative of a wide range of statutory interests

with the view to providing an i m e g d cMchment-

based approach in promoting water quality

management.

The following bodies are represented an the

Operational Management W p :

+ 30rdNaMha

+ Cavan County Council

+ Central PIsherieS B o d

4 ClareCountycWncil

+ Department of the Environment and Local

Govenrmant

t Elcctricig SuppIy Boad

4 Environmental Rotection Agwlcy

+ Galway County Council

Leitrim C m t y Council

+ Longford County C m i l

+ Offaly cwntycouncil

+ ~ m C o u n t y c o u n C i l

+ Shannnn Regional Fiaherias Board

+ T ~ p

+ T i m (NR)Cmnty Cormcil

+ We!Anwh&kklltyCatkwil

matters of direct relevance to the successful irnphwmtion of the Monitoring and Mwagement

Syskm.

Elected Representatives

Elmtd repmltatives thoughour the catchment ~irc

being ktpt infonned of all aspects of the pmject as it

proceeds-

A prescnmtion on the project has teen provided to

meetings of the following local and regional

authorities :

+ CavanCountyCamcil

(1 ClareCounty Council

+ Galway Cwnty Council

+ Leitrim County Cwncll

+ LmgfordCountycounCil

RoscomrmmCwntyCouncil

+ T i m (NR) County Council

+ WcstmaihCountycwnCil + Mid West Regionrml Authority

+ M i Regional Authority

+ West Reglonal Aurhoriry

The pulpose of the presentations is to ensure that

local elactad represmtalives am kcpt informed of the

project and its objsctlvcs and afforded direct

appmmity to have inflllence OR its development.

Internst Groups

Direcc consulmtion has commenoed with bodla and

groups that are immdlatsty concerned with the

catchment and have interesis relevant to water

quality.

The Operational Management a r w p meets at

qumcrIy intervals Eo ~vtcs# the pject,

In addition to formal mtethgs, them is Ongoing

conwltation wilh officers of the indi-

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Lough Derg &Lough Ree

Information Dissemination and Public Consultation

It is cq&dly impitant that the general public he

i n f d of the Projecr and its objectives in order to be provided a rea1 opportunity to Influence its

wtcome and to contribute to the development of the Monitoring and Management System.

I

Consu 1 tat iuns

It has hecn therefore necessary to generate

a-ofthcpjcct i n o r d e r t o m w pUMk

parlicipation with the view to understanding the

V d m S issucs tM arise:

+ Advertisetmtnts wm p l d in lwd and matiad

newspapers inviting written submissions from

intemtd me- of the ptlblic.

+ A p j e d infmmation leaflet was produced and

disseminated by the various public bodies

involved with tht project.

+ Landowners in thc agricultural stw areas were

briefed on tht pmjccl and its objectives by way

of I d meetings.

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Considtations Caldunent Mmiiorirtg

& Management System

A number of written submissions have been m i v d

to date:

Mr Adrim Lindsay-Fynn Mr David Pmy Lough Ree Consemation Society

Mr Laurence C Kelly

Mr Ofko Holtkamp

Mr Declan T Quigley

The Department of the Marine and Natural

Resources (Forest Service)

Project Co-ordinator

A full-time Project W i n a t o r has been appointed

to liaise between the various agencies and interest

groups and to facilitate the efficient implementation

of the h j w t .

Matters Arising

The following summarim the principal Issues that

amst during the first phase of the Consultation

PmxSs:

Exhibits + Upkeep of Mottibring and Management System

A pwceived lack of co-ordination between the

various state age=& is seen 8s an obstacle to the

efficient management of water quality in the

Shannon Region. I WBB suggested that t k m Is

for a long-term catchment-based approach to

maintain the monitoring and management effort

'pt-pject', and tht QiS Management System

should become the prime bads for identifying

problem areas and formulating management

SOtUHollg.

The project has padcipated in a numbu of public

wrhlMC whera tk ~b]mtiv@ & of the W k

have k e n

+ TOmOrmW'S and R d Ea- held at

Melbw's &liege, Athenry. 'hihis w s tk p m i f f

Teagasc agricultural event in 1998 and had a

specific h w on the environment.

Lough Rea Environmental Summer School. tanesbomgh, county Longford.

Other Consultations

Concern was expregsed r e g d n g Ue management

of water quality within the Lough Derg and Laugh

Raa cafdltlluu.

Discussion with othtr relevant organhths has dso

taken place:

A wggcstion was made mpuding tiw tsrabllshmmt

of an EPA Regional Inspectorate for the Midlands

Regim. + The Depammnt of Agriculm and Food + The Offm of %Iic Works + Access to I n f i m h n

+ ThtHerltagecouncll conctm was exprised by a ~lmbtr of cxmtributors

+ The Local aovernmont Computer Services regding difficulty In galnlng access to reliable

Board anvlronmantal information. Monitoring data

+ The Irish Detergent and Allied Products ge& by the pject &auld bt d l y -ible

Associatian to inwrested par(ks. including i&mnation bn ~ w d autIm4tydimhs!rislefflutnta.

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A recommendation was made regarding the

publicadion of periodic reports that would draw

Itbnlh (0 non-complie with relevant s t id f tds .

+ Phosphk Conbni of h r g e n b

N u ~ r ~ ~ m i contributOrs lnade l M m c far the need

to restrict. or otherwise address, detergents

containing pho9phates.

It was suggested that the project s h l d establish

additiofiat pilot studies U, &tennine the benefts of phosphate-fret detergents and the effects of

domestic pollution in areas not served by public

sewers, particularly at b a t h s clme to lake shores.

+ Agriculkrre

Tkrc WM overs11 support for what is seen as a

positive approach tow- agriculture.

Agricultural pflution was a general co~loem and the

Rural EnvimmentJ Protection khem (REPS) is Stcn as a way to make an irnpoctant contribution to

water qudity Improvements.

A suggestion was made that the administration of

REPS might be integrated with river catchment

management psogrammes.

There was general conmsus that the unnecessary use of Phosphorus and Nitrogen fertiliser should

cease, It was considered critical that information

learned during the course of the project be

communicated bwk to the fwming community.

Concerns welrt exp~cssad th;lt the farmyard might be

identifled as a major pollution source and that the

necessary financial support wouM not be availabk to

xkhm the problem.

Consultat ions

There is need to clarify current differences of qinion regding -haus recammtnQltaohF so

that fanmrsml proowd w i t h m f ~ .

+ PMMiUing

A number of contributors R i d concern regarding

the impact of peat milling operations within the

catchment.

+ Affomstatwn

The proposed increase in afforestation and the

implications for water quatiiy am c m e m s tha were

expressed on a number of occasions. Particular

concern in this regard arose in relation to Lough

Allen.

boat in^ Thc impact of W i n g m water quality is a concern.

The deficiency of 'pumpout' facilitics for Lough Ree, particularly in the vicinity of Athlone, has hccn raised.

4 ZshroMusseAs

The rtcent amval of the xbra mussel to the Lwgh

Decg and Lough Rtc catchment has given rise to

much concern, parliculariy with regard to its long

term i w t on fisheries and the lakc ecosystem.

Angling

Contributors have made reference to declining

angling stocks, particularly trout.

Reference has also been made to the untapped

potential of twrism angling on Lough Rot and on the Bdpining River Shannon.

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a

Consu lfatiuns

+ DmimKe

Conflicting issUts have arim in this regard. FaFmws are concerned with the flooding of farmland. In oontrast. a suggestion hlrs h made ha the Office

of Public Works should review its Maintenance

Drainage Programmes on the basis of changed

economic circumstances and environmental needs.

+ Pollution In&en&

It was suggested that an emergmy response service,

rnannad 24-hours per day, b nude available within

the cakhmnt with well publicised cun- numbers to enable the general public to inform the relevant

authorities of any phtion incident mmuntered

. .I

+ EndungendSpecim

Lwgh Deq and Lough Ree me home to the Pollan

(Corepms uumtnalis polrcurl w h i is regarded as

an endangertd species In Ireland and in need of

protation.

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Refemmas

Bowmm J J, McGarrigb M L and Clpbby K J. (19931 L m g h Dcrg - Am invesligation of eutqhicorion and its cam?s. Part 1 Water Quality Assessment, Nutrim1 Sources. Concluxionrs and RecMlmcn&tions. A Report lo the h g h Derg Working party. Bnvimnmtncal march Unit.

Bowman 3 J (19%) Lough R e - An inwstigath qf cutrophicafion and its causes. Environmental Rotaction Agency.

Bowman J J et al(1996) Warer QUIZ& iA I~lmrd 1991-1W. P A , W e ~ f d .

Bowman J I (1998) River Shannon L o b Water Qudity Monitoring f 995 to 1997. Hnvironmcntal protectm Agtncy (in P r W .

CMby er J (1W) interim w p o ~ im tk Btologkd Suwcy of River Quaiiry. Results of rhe I996 Ime5figufiWr. =A, wexfwld

DeprrrtAlent of hvimment and Loeal Government (1997). Swstainablc Developmnf, A Strategy for Ireland ISBN 0706 38850X.

wmant of E n v i m m t and h s l Government (1997) Mmtqging Ireland’s Rivers curd Lakes: A catchment - b e d Srra tegy against Eutrophico tion. Dcpertment of Ejlvimmtnt rand Locd Government.

Ikpartmet of Environment and Local Government (1998). Starutory Jnsrrumem S.I. No* 258 of 1998. Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977. (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations, 1998.

EPA (1997) Envirommmrol Qwlily Objectives a d Envimnunlal Quality Standards. The Aquatic Environmcnf. A Discussion Document. EPA, W e x f d .

h y I et d (1998) Water Qdio irr lrclarnd 1995- 1997. BPA, Wexfad (In v). McCmthy et al 1997 Zcbm Muxscls in rhe River S h m . A repwz to ESB Elshcrits Cmsavation. Zoology DEpwtmtnt, UCG.

OECD (199.9) Envirmmenrul Indimfors. OECD cort sa. OECD, Paris.

T m P F (1979) Thc T m p k W t u s qf I d Lakes - Lorrgh Key. An Foras Porbattha, WRILIZ. IWaction Agency Ih p).

Acknowledgements

The Cwtsultants wish to thmk the following far their valuable d b u t i o n to the Laugh h r g and Lough Ret Catchment Monitoring and Management Systtm.

Mr Vincent Bmnan, moa cwnty colmcil Mr Tom C m y , Clare County Catmil Mr Owen Boylc, Department of Environment & h a l Governrrmi Mr David Moore, Dtmmtnt of Environment k Lmd Gwmmt Dr Jim Bowman, hvimmental Prokction Agency

Mr Tmvor Champ Mr Brim Kenny Mr MiM clohessy Mr Robert Culkn Mr Jim Maguire Mr John Cunninghm Mr h Igge MrEamonCusack

MrPJFklan

Mr David Timlin Mr Roger Timlin Mr Liam Gavin Mr M a l Wynne Mr Frank Gibbons

Mr Greg Duggm

Central Rsheries B o d Leitrim CO, Co. hELG ESB Tipperary (NR) Co. Co. R w m m Co. Co. Offaly Co. Co. Shanmn Regional Flsheries Board Teugasc Westmeath Co. Co. clarc Co. Co. Longford Co. Ca. Galway Co. CO Board na M6na Cavan Co. Co.

Mr Mark Griffin

Mr Pat Duggm

phatosraphy m e s y of Mr Man Ndan, SRPB

Main front cover photo courtesy of Shannon Development

55

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Consu Itan t s

The Report was prepred by

KIRK McCLURE MORTON

INQ EHGll

Kirk McClwe Morton

E l m w d Hwse 40 Upper Grand Canal Street

DUBLIN

I’elephtma 01 667 4167

Fax 01 667 4161

in association with

Catchment Muni toring

& Management Systern

BRADY S H I P M A N MART IN

The following sukxmWtnts am cwrcntly undertaking spialist studies

For further information

Queries and wbmisshs in rcillltion to the puject may bt fonntlFdbd to: Mr h g g s n , Rmjcct Co-Orrlinatm,

Lough k g & Lough Roe Catchment. Monitoring end Management System. Mankslmd Civic Offices, Mankslsnd, ATHLUNE, CO Rascomm.

Phont 0902 93838

Email &mnonlakcs@tinct.ia

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