Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan

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Name Barrow Main Water Management Unit
Area 1110 km2
River Basin District South Eastern RBD
Main Counties Kildare, Laois, Carlow
Protected Areas River Barrow River Nore SAC Mountmellick SAC River Barrow UWWTD 2 Drinking water abstractions from Barrow river and Burren river
Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan
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Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan
STATUS/IMPACTS STATUS/IMPACTS
Overall status 48 River Water Bodies - 16 Good, 22 Moderate, 8 Poor, 2 Bad
Status elements Q score dictates overall status in most WBs, Phys Chemical drives the status of 3 good and 2 moderate WBs. Phys Chemical status ranges between moderate and high where monitored. Status for 23 WBs were extrapolated. Chemical status was not monitored.
Possible Impacts - EPA Water Quality 2004 ATHY STREAM - Upper reaches (0200) heavily silted and weedy, lower reaches heavily calcified. Sensitive species not observed at either location. Unsatisfactory. Agriculture suspected. Silt. Waterbody Code SE_14_1288 / Status 09 Moderate (Based on Q value 3-4) AUGHNACREW - An impoverished fauna lacking sensitive macroinvertebrates indicated some considerable ecological upset in the middle reaches (0300) of this stream in October 2003 but the lower reaches (0500) although quite weedy were assessed as satisfactory for the time being. Waterbody Code SE_14_1921 / status 09 Moderate (Based on Q value 3-4) BALLYNABOLEY STREAM - As in previous surveys indications were of somewhat less than satisfactory quality in this small stream in 2003. Unsatisfactory. No change. Waterbody CodeSE_14_951 / Status 09 Poor (Based on Q 3) BARROW - As indicated by the net increase (of two) in the number of Class A locations and a corresponding reduction in Class C and because the number of locations showing some improvement (six) exceeded the number deteriorating (three) it is clear that there has been an overall improvement in the Barrow since 2000. This despite the fact that water levels were generally below normal everywhere and were very low in the upper river thus providing less dilution capacity for wastes. However, eutrophication continued to be widespread due to suspected agriculture in the upper river and to suspected sewage and other discharges from Portlaoise and Carlow. DOUGLAS (LAOIS) - The overall quality situation in the Douglas river in 2003 was very similar to the generally unsatisfactory condition recorded in the previous survey marked eutrophication was again apparent at 0080 and 0200 and the lower reaches (0300), although slightly improved since 2000, were heavily silted. Severe bank erosion was apparent at the upper surveyed location (0080).Silt. Waterbody code SE_14_1304 / Status 09 Good (Based on Q4 in 2006)SE_14_1490 Status 09Good Based on Q Score and Physchem. DUNRALLY STREAM - Widespread eutrophication plus heavy siltation by watering cattle in the lower reaches again reflect the unsatisfactory quality status of this stream. High conductivity values indicated a groundwater input at Stations. Silt. Waterbody Code SE_14_1746 / 2009 WB status Moderate (Based on Q value 3-4) FUER -As in 2000 extremely low water level prevented sampling but from the quantities of animal manure observed on the substratum at Fuer Bridge it would be reasonable to assume that quality was unlikely to have been of a satisfactory standard in 2003. Waterbody code SE_14_1482 / 2009 WB statusModerateBased on fail in physchem) FUSHOGE - Following a marked improvement in its lower reaches (0290) water quality was assessed as satisfactory at each of the three locations surveyed on the Fushoge River in early October 2003. However, heavy siltation and substratum disturbance by watering cattle threatened this situation at Strand Bridge (0050). Waterbody Code SE_14_1283 - Status 09 Moderate (Based on physchem) GOWRAN - The Gowran River was in a generally unsatisfactory condition due to widespread eutrophication in October 2003 just one of the six locations surveyed (i.e., 0050) was satisfactory. Abundant sewage fungus and the virtual absence of resident macroinvertebrates pointed to serious pollution of agricultural origin (silage suspected) in the Freneystown area (0020) while municipal and industrial discharges are suspected for the unsatisfactory, hypertrophic condition of the river in and below Gowran (0100, 0220, 0300 and 0400). (Since survey in 2003, there has been a new WWTP at Gowran Village in 2009) Waterbody Code SE_14_1879 - 2009 status Poor (Based on Q value 3-4) MONEFELIM - The Monefelim River was in a mostly satisfactory condition as regards water quality in October 2003 but the lower reaches (0800, 1000) were assessed as eutrophic due to suspected agriculture (slurry), a reversal of the recovery recorded in the previous survey of 2000. Waterbody Code SE_14_1663 2009 Status Moderate (Based on Q value 3-4) OLD LEIGHLIN STREAM - Water levels were very low in this small stream in October 2003 when quality was assessed as satisfactory at Old Leighlin (0500) but excessive algal growths indicated significant eutrophication in the lower reaches (0700) where the DO concentration was 158 percent of saturation at the time of this survey. Waterbody Code SE_14_1382 Status 2009 Moderate (Based on Q value 3-4) POWERSTOWN - An improvement to Fair quality was recorded in the lower reaches (0400) of this small stream in late July 2003. The upper reaches were again over-enriched as in previous surveys. Waterbody Code SE_14_1383 / 2009 status Good (Based on Q Score) TULLY STREAM - Minor improvements at 0100 and 0200 contrast with substantial deterioration at 0300 and 0390 where the river was seriously polluted at the time of this survey in late August 2003. Waterbody Code SE_14_842 / Status 09 Bad (Based on Q value 2 and fail on physchem)
River Status
High
Good
Moderate
Poor
Bad
Yet to be determined
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Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan
PRESSURES/RISKS PRESSURES/RISKS
Nutrient sources 83 of TP is Diffuse, 60 of which is from Agriculture, 20 from unsewered properties . 16 of TP comes from WWTP
Point pressures 26 WWTP Clonmore, Leighlinbridge, Mortarstown, Muine Bheag, Nurney (Carlow), Old Leighlin, Raheendoran, Athy, Kilberry, Kildangan, Kildare Town, Kilmead, Monasterevin, Nurney (Kildare), Goresbridge, Gowran sewerage Scheme, Paulstown, Ballylinan, Coolanaugh, Emo, Portarlington, Ballyroe, Calverstown, Castlemitchell, Derrinturn, Cappalug. 3 WTP River Barrow Treatment Plant, Muine Bheag Treatment Works (abstraction from River Barrow at Portarlington) and Tobergoolick Poll (Paulstown). 6 EPA Licensed Waste Facilities 14 Section 4s Hotel, School, BB/Caravan/Camping Park, 2 Building Contractors, 2 Stud/Stables, Nursing Home, Building Products Supplier, 2 Quarries, Golf Club, Concrete Manufacturer, Private Company. 14 IPPC 2 Pig Farms, 2 Private Companies, Packaging Company, Chilling Company, Sugar Refinery, 3 Manufacturers, Building Contractor, Foods Processor, Steelwork Contractor, Chemical Lime Producer.
Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and Industrial Discharges 19 of the 24 WWTP's are at risk Clonmore WWTP Leighlinbridge WWTP Mortarstown WWTP Muine Bheag WWTP Nurney WWTP Old Leighlin WWTP Raheendoran WWTP Athy WWTP Kilberry WWTP . Kildare Town WWTP Monasterevin WWTP Nurney WWTP, Kildare Goresbridge WWTP Gowran Sewerage Scheme WWTP Paulstown WWTP Ballylinan WWTP Portarlington WWTP 2 Section 4 Licenses at risk
PRESSURES / RISKS PRESSURES / RISKS
Quarries, Mines Landfills There are 42 Quarries within WMU. 2 have Section 4 licenses. 2 WBs at risk - SE_14_196 and SE_14_1556.
Agriculture The majority of the area of the WMU is at risk from Agriculture
On-site systems There are 13884 septic tanks in this WMU, none of them are posing a risk to water quality due to their density, location and unsuitable hydrogeological conditions.
Forestry No waterbodies at risk from forestry
Dangerous substances No waterbodies at risk from Dangerous Substances.
Morphology 7 Waterbodies at risk - SE_14_1746, SE_14_1687, SE_14_1610, SE_14_1304, SE_14_1418, SE_14_842 and SE_14_572 - Barrow Drainage District (Pre 1945 Channelisation)
Abstractions 23 Abstractions but no waterbodies at risk. Additional Groundwater abstractions as advised by Laois CoCo at Lough Boreholes and La Bergerie Wells Portarlington.
Other 2 Artificial Waterbodies - Grand Canal and Barrow Navigation
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Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan
SELECTED ACTION PROGRAMME NB All relevant basic measures, general supplementary measures and SEA mitigation measures apply SELECTED ACTION PROGRAMME NB All relevant basic measures, general supplementary measures and SEA mitigation measures apply
Point Sources WWTP see Actions table to the right INDUSTRY 2 Section 4 Licenses investigate risk. All - Examine the terms of discharge authorisations to determine whether they require review for the purpose of compliance with water body objectives including protected area objectives and environmental quality standards.
Diffuse Sources Good Agricultural Practice Regulations and Enforcement.
Other Morphology 7 waterbodies within the WMU require Channelisation Investigation to investigate impact of drainage works.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES
Restore/Protect 2015 21 water bodies
Alternative Objectives Extended Deadlines 27 water bodies with 2021 deadline 3 New Modifications or Developments Carlow, (River Barrow) Flood alleviation scheme being undertaken along with Carlow County Council Strategic Flood Risk Management Feasibility study being undertaken Water reservoir at Gerryhinch. HMWB/AWB - 2 Artificial Waterbodies - Grand Canal and Barrow Navigation
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Future Pressures and Developments Throughout the river basin management cycle future pressures and developments will need to be managed to ensure compliance with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the Programme of Measures will need to be developed to ensure issues associated with these new pressures are addressed.
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Barrow Main Water Management Unit Action Plan
River Data
This table outlines water body information
including status and a breakdown of its elements,
protected areas, objectives and timescales.