Cork farm project achieves 'significant' improvement in river water quality
Impressive Flow The Into And Water Rivers Were In Throughout Of Owenanare, Picture: The The Project Duration Quality Observed Which Conclusion Improvements And Allow, Owenkeal, Denis The Blackwater On Minihine
A five-year project just completed in North-West Cork has resulted in a significant improvement in water quality in its rivers and thrown a major lifeline to seriously endangered species such as the freshwater pearl mussel.
The €1.47m Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments EIP programme focused on getting about 100 landowners to help stop run-off pollution into tributaries which primarily feed into the River Blackwater.
Michael O’Connor, a scientist and adviser who worked on the project, said it created “a blueprint of how to farm with nature to protect water quality".
Farmers were given incentives to join the project, such as results-based payments determined by the quality of a measure to enhance water.
They could also apply for capital funding to install measures on their farms which would reduce pollution potential, such as farm road upgrades, hedgerow planting, and alternative drinking sources for their animals.
Much of the work centred on preventing farm animals from entering the rivers and preventing pollution.
Entry also destroyed riverbanks, leading to increased flooding and negative impacts on flora and fauna.
The project covered 19km of waterways and landowners planted 1,342 natives trees, helped preserve sand martin colonies, and built next boxes for dippers and barn owls.
Impressive improvements in water quality were observed throughout the duration and conclusion of the project on the rivers Allow, Owenanare, and Owenkeal, which flow into the Blackwater.
The improvement in water quality in the region is significant as under the EU Water Framework Directive, all member states must achieve "good" or "satisfactory" ecological water quality status by 2027.
However, some waters such as those in the Duhallow project have been assigned a high-status objective, which means they must achieve the highest ecological water quality status by 2027.
These high-status objective waterbodies are known as blue dots.
The Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments EIP project has resulted in 81% of the catchment area’s rivers now achieving their WFD status, a significant increase from the beginning of the project, as just 57% of the catchment area was meeting that status.
“These [Duhallow] rivers serve as an ark where sensitive species survive and can then recolonise polluted water downstream when it is restored.
"A prime example of this is the freshwater pearl mussel, an endangered species whose survival is dependent on high water quality, found in one of their last strongholds within the project catchment area.
"Of course, high status water bodies are also critical for maintaining overall ecosystem health as well as ensuring future availability of water for farming, fishing, drinking, and recreation among other uses,” Mr O'Connor said.
The freshwater pearl mussel is Ireland’s longest living animal, with a lifespan of up to 140 years.
European freshwater pearl mussel populations are in peril throughout the continent, having declined by about 90% over the past century. Some 27 freshwater pearl mussel populations are protected within Special Areas of Conservation across Ireland.
Mr O'Connor added that while the project had been a huge success for the catchment area, another important part was sharing the findings, lessons learned, and innovations with others as well as feeding into new policies and schemes.