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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.
51
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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.
52
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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.
53
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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.
54
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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 &[email protected]
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