Eastern Regional Fisheries Board Pressures Effecting River Slaney Catchment

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Eastern Regional Fisheries BoardPressures
Effecting River Slaney Catchment

• Donnachadh Byrne
• Senior Fisheries Environmental Officer

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Jurisdiction of the Eastern Regional Fisheries
Board

• Extends the full length of the east coast from
  Ballagan Point in County Louth to Killen Point
  just east of Bannow Bay, Co. Wexford.
• Subdivided into the Dundalk, Drogheda, Dublin
  Wexford Districts

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Statutory responsibility of the Board

• To manage, conserve, protect, develop and improve
  inland fisheries within the region and offshore
  to the twelve mile limit for the protection of
  salmon ( including the conservation of fish and
  other species of flora and fauna, habitats and
  the biodiversity of inland water ecosystems ).

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Fish and their requirements

• Fish need unpolluted water abundant food in a
  habitat that provides spawning
• areas, shelter and freedom of movement. The bed
  and soil of a natural river and
• the associated aquatic riparian vegetation
  combine to provide the food chain on
• which fish depend. A natural river channel is
  characterised by morphological
• features which are vital for the life cycle of
  fish gravel shoals for spawning, pools
• and riffles where fish rest feed and turbulent
  reaches which enhance
• oxygenation. All elements of this natural
  environment must be protected.

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Typical salmonid watercourse
Spawning and Nursery Habitat

• good water quality
• a healthy riparian zone
• dappled shade
• adequate loose gravel deposits for spawning
• sufficient quality nursery area
• unhindered passage for migratory salmonids
• Sinuous channel with a variety of instream
  characteristics

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Stream-side Vegetation

• Provision of buffer zones
• Protect water quality
• Stabilise banks
• Food source
• Cover and dappled shade
• Helps regulate water temperature

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Agriculture

• Much of the Slaney Catchment is subject to
  intensive dairy / tillage agriculture
• Threats from tillage practices include, suspended
  solids run-off, nutrient run-off, potential
  problems relating to the passage of fish in
  streams where abstractions for irrigation take
  place
• Threats from dairy / dry-stock farms include,
  nutrient run-off / spillages, leading to
  fish-kills / eutrophication / enrichment of
  watercourses
• Watering points for animals
• Potential threat of toxicity to watercourses in
  spillages from sheep dipping operations
• Value of Agricultural land in Slaney catchment
  means that there is a limited buffer zone over
  much of catchment

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Agriculture

• Big Changes in Agriculture in Ireland in the
  recent past due to
• Nitrates Directive Phosphorous Regulations
• Single Farm Payment
• Extensification
• Investment in pollution control facilities in
  recent past
• Large numbers of small / medium dairy farmers
  switching to drystock, becoming part time farmers
  and joining REPS

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Sewage Discharges

• Sewage effluent is likely to discharged to waters
  in a number of ways
• Local Authority Treatment Plant discharges
• Private WWTPs operating under Section 4 discharge
  license
• From unsuitable percolation areas / soak holes at
  older dwellings
• From raised percolation areas with discharges to
  surface waters in newer dwellings ( Wexford )

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Local Authority WWTPs within Slaney Catchment

• WWTPs discharge effluent 365 days per year, 24
  hours per day. This means that they are
  discharging during the summer months when water
  temperatures are at their highest river flows
  are at their lowest
• Many WWTPs within the Slaney catchment are old
  and operate inefficiently, are overloaded or
  both. For example Rathvilly, Ballon, Kildavin,
  Camolin, Ferns Nth, Clonroche, Hacketstown,
  Bunclody
• Larger WWTPs operating properly discharging to
  Slaney main channel, do not have tertiary
  treatment ( ie Phosphorous Removal )

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Local Authority WWTPs within Slaney Catchment

• Large number of smaller WWTPs recently upgraded
  or in the process of being upgraded eg.
  Stratford, Donard, Ballon, Myshall ( all to
  include tertiary treatment )
• Some larger WWTPs due to be upgraded soon or
  works underway at present

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Private WWTPs operating under Section 4 Discharge
license

• All sewage / trade effluent discharges to waters
  require a S4 discharge License under the Local
  Government Pollution Act
• Issued by the Local Authority and generally
  reviewed on a 3-4 yearly basis
• Significant number of S4 discharges being applied
  for in County Wexford

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Discharges from older Septic tanks / soakholes /
percolation areas

• In past little attention paid to proper treatment
  / of sewage in one-off housing ( out of sight,
  out of mind mentality )
• Surveys carried out under the SERBD Small Streams
  Risk Score ( SSRS ) on 1st 2nd order Streams
  found that 85 of these watercourses were at risk
  ( combination of agriculture,
  industry sewage )
• SSRS results will be used to highlight
  waterbodies that warrant further investigations
  under the Water Framework Directive

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Section 4 Discharges in County Wexford

• Lack of investment in Waste Water Treatment
  infrastructure in County Wexford, linked in with
  massive demand for housing ( proximity to
  Dublin )
• WWTPs in Gorey Enniscorthy at, or over capacity
  while WWTPs in places like Camolin, Coolgreany,
  Ballycanew, Monamolin are overloaded
• To ease pressure, developers allowed to develop
  lands with discharges to nearby watercourses as a
  temporary measure.
• Clusters of houses in rural locations most of
  which include discharges to nearby watercourse
  are being granted planning permission throughout
  County Wexford
• The Board are objecting to many of these planning
  applications and have lodged appeals to An Bord
  Pleanala regarding a number of Section 4
  Discharge Licenses which were granted

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Eutrophication

• Eutrophication enrichment of watercourses
• This enrichment leads to increased in-stream
  algal / plant growth, which results in a more
  extreme diurnal variation in dissolved oxygen
• Extreme fluctuations in diurnal dissolved oxygen
  result in the loss of sensitive invertebrates eg.
  Mayflies, stoneflies which leads to a reduced
  biological status, ( Q Status )

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Effects of Eutrophication upon Dissolved Oxygen
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Invertebrates
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Invertebrates
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Invertebrates

• Changes in structure of invertebrate populations
  with loss of sensitive stoneflies mayflies and
  dominance of species like freshwater shrimp is
  likely to have a detrimental effect upon the
  value of a watercourse as a fishery as fish
  concentrate feeding efforts upon shrimp

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Problems regularly encountered where watercourses
run through or border developments

• Inadequate buffer zones, resulting in damage of
  aquatic riparian habitat
• Culverting / piping of watercourses
• Re-alignment / straightening of watercourses
• Removal of aquatic zone / stream side vegetation
• Infill of aquatic habitat with clays / sub soil
• Over-widening of watercourses
• Pollution by suspended solids, oils, cement
  washings
• Pollution of watercourses by treated effluent
  from private waste water treatment plants where
  inadequate assimilative capacity exists in the
  receiving water.

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Infill of riparian zone with soil / removal of
stream side vegetation

• Infill of riparian zone with soil / clays, no
  buffer zone
• Removal of streamside vegetation
• Potential for pollution of stream by suspended
  solids because of the steep angle of infill
• Removal of gravels from watercourse
• Widening of watercourse removal of in-stream
  fisheries habitat
• Recreational aspect of riparian zone diminished

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Infill of riparian zone, removal of bankside
vegetation, removal of instream gravels, widening
of watercourse construction of artificial
sterile bank
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Closed season for in-stream works

• To protect fish, salmonid eggs and juvenile
  salmonids no in-stream works are allowed between
  1st October and 30th April
• Where in-stream works are to be carried out,
  these works should comply with the Eastern
  Boards Guidelines Requirements for the
  protection of Fisheries Habitat during
  Construction and Development Works at River
  Sites.

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• Aims
• to identify the likely impact on fisheries
  habitat
• - to outline practical measures for the avoidance
  and mitigation of damage

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Culverting / Piping of watercourses

• Culverts / piping are likely to obstruct or delay
  upstream passage of fish. The
• Board are opposed to the piping of watercourses
  to increase land area for
• development because of
• Loss of fisheries habitat
• Hinderance of pollution detection
• Culverts if badly designed and constructed may
  hinder the free passage of fish
• Where watercourse road crossings are required
  these should comply with the
• requirements of the ERFBs Guidelines for
  Construction Development Works
• at River Sites. Clear spanning of watercourses is
  the Boards preferred option.
• The Board request that the design and
  construction methods for any such
• crossing be agreed with the ERFB in advance

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Watercourse Crossings-Fish Passage Problems
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Problems caused by pipe blockages
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Culverts Road Crossinghabitat loss minimised
fish passage guaranteed through consultation
and adherence to ERFB Guidelines
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Culverting of watercourses Loss of habitat
Blocking the free passage of fish
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Culverting of watercoursesLoss of habitat,
blocking passage of fish hindering detection of
pollution
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Suspended solids

• This source of pollution may be associated with
• In-stream works
• machinery excavating in or near watercourses
• machinery crossing through watercourses
• dirty water from excavations being pumped
  directly to watercourses
• Inadequate housekeeping / control of dirty water
  from sites
• Wheelwashes / washing of roads
• Inadequate housekeeping / control of dirty water
  from forestry harvest operation / sites / roads

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Suspended Solids

• Elevated levels can cause
• Irritation / Blocking of gills
• Blocking interstices in gravel
• Low visibility - food predators
• Light - photosynthesis

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Effect of suspended solids upon aquatic habitats
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Mitigating against damage to fisheries habitat

• The Board request buffer zones along the length
  of watercourses. The Board request a minimum
  width of 5m for buffer zones ( in some cases
  narrower buffer zones may suffice ). Where
  possible the open space area for the development
  should include the watercourse and riparian
  zone.
• Streamside vegetation should be conserved
• No realignment or widening of watercourses (
  without consultation with the Eastern Regional
  Fisheries Board )
• No infill within the buffer-zone
• The buffer-zone should be fenced off prior to
  works commencing on site
• Systems should be put in place to ensure that
  there is no discharge of suspended solids or
  other deleterious matter during the construction
  phase and during landscaping works

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Mitigating against damage to fisheries habitat

• All surface waters from the site and access roads
  should be channelled through adequately sized /
  petrol oil interceptors and be subject to
  attenuation prior to discharge
• The Board are opposed to the piping / culverting
  of watercourses to increase land area for
  development. Where watercourse crossings are
  necessary their design and construction should be
  carried out with reference to the ERFBs
  Guidelines and in consultation with the ERFB
• The receiving water for any private waste water
  treatment plant must have adequate assimilative
  capacity under 95 percentile low flows to comply
  with the Quality of Salmonid Waters Regulations
  and the Water Quality Standards for the
  Phosphorous Regulations. The sustainability of
  such discharges must be assessed at planning
  stage

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Mitigating against damage to fisheries habitat

• The Board request that any planning applications
  for developments which either border or discharge
  treated effluent to watercourse be referred to
  the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board

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Water Framework Directive

• South Eastern River Basin District ( SERBD )
• Catchment Based National Strategy to implement
  the Water Framework Directive
• Good Ecological Status on all waters by 2015
• What is Good Ecological Status

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Other Species within Slaney catchment

• Margaritifera Margaritifera, Fresh Water Pearl
  Mussel
• Three species of Lamprey, Brook, River and Sea
  Lamprey
• Two Species of Shad
• Smelt
• Otters, Kingfishers