Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
392. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the timeline to remove 'pinch points' from the River Shannon to alleviate flooding in the Callows region; the funding that has been set aside to complete these works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63231/22]
View answer393. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the work that is being carried out to marginally lower the statutory water levels on the River Shannon's three lakes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63232/22]
View answer394. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the works that are planned to alleviate flooding along the River Shannon over 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63233/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 392 to 394, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group (the Group) was established by the Government in early 2016. The Group was established, at that time, following severe flooding arising from exceptional weather conditions between December 2015 and January 2016.
The Group’s purpose is to provide a forum where all statutory organisations with roles and responsibilities that involve the River Shannon catchment can further monitor and co-ordinate their respective work programmes to assist with managing flood risk along the Shannon catchment.
The Government has noted the decision of the Group to invest €4 million in a project for the removal of a series of ‘pinch points’ or restrictions through the Callows region between Athlone and Meelick weir. A Steering Group has been established to oversee this project and a brief is currently being finalised for the appointment of a consultant to carry out analysis and design work. The project will be subject to planning consent which will require Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment under the Birds and Habitats Directives. No work can commence in the absence of all appropriate consents.
The water level on the River Shannon is primarily the result of the amount of rain that falls on the river catchment area. While the ESB uses the water flowing in the river to generate electricity when it reaches Ardnacrusha, the rate at which the water travels to Ardnacrusha is primarily a result of the natural topography of the river and the natural restrictions in the river. It takes many days for water to travel down the Shannon. There have been times when there was flooding in the Callows area south of Athlone and further north yet only enough water in Ardnacrusha to operate the generating station at less than half the maximum output.
There are three lakes on the River Shannon - Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Levels in Lough Allen and Lough Ree are managed to assist with navigation, to ensure minimum navigation levels in the river during dry periods and to ensure that floods are passed safely. The levels in between those lakes are also managed for navigation purposes.
In October 2016, the Group took a decision, within the existing statutory framework, to trial the lowering of the lake levels on Lough Allenduring the Winter period to help mitigate potential flood risk. A protocol was finalised by the ESB, Waterways Ireland and the OPW to lower the late Autumn and Winter minimum lake levels by approximately 0.7 metres. This was subject to the agreement of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The protocol was implemented on a trial basis from 2016 to 2018 and following that trial, the Group agreed to continue implementing the protocol on a temporary basis pending the completion of a flood relief scheme in Carrick-on-Shannon. The trial was operated most recently in 2021/2022, with ecological and hydrological monitoring, surveys and assessments being carried out in parallel. An application to allow the protocol to be implemented for 2022/2023 has been submitted to the National Parks and Wildlife Service and it is expected that this will be in place soon. It would not have been possible to achieve the protocol levels in October/November 2022, or recently, due to heavy rainfall on the Shannon Catchment.
While the ESB has an influence on water levels on some parts of the river as mentioned above, it does not control the water level of the River Shannon, nor was the Shannon Scheme designed for that purpose. The ESB can only manage the flow of water at Parteen weir as it arrives from Lough Derg. All of the water arriving at Parteen weir is discharged either via Ardnacrusha station or down the old Shannon channel. The ESB does not store any water upstream of Parteen weir in the Parteen Basin. Discharging more water than that which arrives at Parteen weir would result in lowering water levels in Parteen Basin and the Headrace canal below safe operating limits with the risk of causing stability issues to the Category A Earthen Embankment Dams that form Parteen Basin and the Headrace canal.
The water flow from Lough Derg to Parteen Basin is restricted by the flow capacity of the outlet channel from Lough Derg at Killaloe. The capacity restriction acts like a bottleneck limiting the discharge from Lough Derg. The ESB maximises the discharge of water from Lough Derg within its Dam Safety constraints during flood periods. It should be noted that operations at Ardnacrusha and Parteen Weir do not have an influence on water levels in the River Shannon upstream of Meelick weir.
The ESB is continuously monitoring the water levels throughout the Shannon and continues to operate in accordance with its regulations and guidelines for control of the River Shannon. The ESB engages with the local authorities and Waterways Ireland on a daily basis when Lough Derg, Lough Ree or Lough Allen is in flood. The ESB publishes its twice weekly predicted water levels and expected discharge amounts based on the latest Met Éireann forecast. The ESB also publishes the water levels throughout the three lakes and Ardnacrusha discharges on a daily basis. This information can be found on ESB’s website at: Hydrometric Information (esb.ie). The ESB also communicates discharges at Parteen weir to local stakeholders by text message on a daily basis when Lough Derg is in flood.
In terms of flood alleviation works, there are 13 completed schemes in the Shannon River Basin District (RBD) which provide protection to over 2,600 properties. There are a further 24 schemes currently being progressed in the Shannon RBD and these include two schemes, Athlone and Springfield/Clonlara (Co. Clare) which are currently at construction and expected to reach substantial completion in 2023. When completed, these two schemes will provide protection to over 570 properties.
The Springfield/Clonlara (Co. Clare) flood defence scheme is being progressed by Clare County Council, with funding and technical advice being provided as appropriate from the OPW. In addition to OPW funding the costs of the works, the majority of the construction works is being undertaken by the OPW via direct labour. The flood relief scheme involves the construction of a flood protection embankment, land raising, penstock/sluice, pump station and associated works at the townlands of Springfield, Cappavilla North, Cottage and Illaunyregan, Clonlara, Co Clare. The flood defence embankment is in place to protect Springfield/Clonlara from inundations from the River Shannon. A temporary pumping arrangement will be place this winter to provide pumping capacity until delivery and installation of the final scheme pumps in 2023.
In Athlone, Co. Westmeath, the OPW and Westmeath County Council (WCC) are already working together to advance flood relief works for the town with WCC acting as the Contracting Authority and OPW funding the costs of the works, in addition to undertaking the construction works with its own workforce. It is anticipated that the construction works for the Athlone Flood Alleviation Scheme will be completed in late 2023.
It is anticipated that construction will commence on the Kings Island Flood Relief Scheme in Q2 2023. It is estimated that the full scheme will protect approximately 450 residential and 23 commercial properties.
A further five schemes in the Shannon region are expected to be submitted for planning/statutory consent in 2023. These schemes are planned for Castleconnell, Adare, Carrick-on-Shannon, Kilkee and Ballinasloe.
