Upper Dromore River Catchment NFGWS - Source Protection Pilot Project

Phase II – Surface Waters

17th January 2019

Tullamore Court Hotel

Background• Stranooden GWS one of the largest in Ireland.

1,100 domestic connections; and

400 agricultural & commercial connections.

• Abstracts water from White Lough, Ballybay, Co. Monaghan.

• Phase I – Preliminary Source Protection report completed in 2012.

• Catchment delineated at 125km2.

• Pressures perceived from both urban and rural sources.

• MCPA issues identified in 2017.

White Lough Catchment

Objectives• Increasing local awareness of the delineated White Lough catchment and current health of the

Upper Dromore system

• Create an understanding of the pressures impacting on the catchment

• Highlighting behavioural changes & measures that could improve the water quality

• Building an appreciation of the social, economic & environmental benefits

• Develop detailed source protection plan with local participation

Key Phases of Road Map

1. Build partnerships

2. Characterise the catchment (i.e. build upon Phase I Assessment)

3. Further catchment characterisation

4. Identify possible mitigation strategies

5. Production of an Integrated Catchment Management Plan

6. Ongoing implementation, monitoring, feedback & effectiveness

} In Conjunction

Upper Dromore River / White Lough Sub-Catchments

2. Catchment Characterisation

WATERBODY

European Union Drinking Water Regulations 2014

Parametric Value S.I. No. 122 of 2014 04.05.18 11.05.18 29.05.18 08.06.18 12.06.18 14.06.18 18.06.18 21.06.18

MCPA (µg/l)

Bannaghbane Stream 0.1 <0.1 0.5 - - - <0.1 2.9 <0.1Dromore River 0.1 <0.1 0.3 <0.1 <0.1 4.6 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1White Lough 0.1 <0.1 0.2 <0.1 1.2 0.5 <0.1 0.4 <0.1

Dromore River 0.1 <0.1 0.2 <0.1 1.4 0.7 <0.1 2.7 <0.1Dromore River 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1Lough Major 0.1 <0.1 0.1 <0.1 0.2 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1

Lough Major Stream 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1Dromore River 0.1 - - - <0.1 4.5 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1

Rainfall (mm) 0 10.6* 0 43.2 1 1.8 0 0Wind Speed (meters/sec) Max Speed 7.6 10.8* 6.2 6.8 6.1 17.2 8.5 9.6

Comparison of Phosphate Susceptibility Areas Between Sub-Catchments

Derryvalley Sub-Catchment – Higher % of‘Class 2’ soils

Lough Major Sub-Catchment – Higher % of‘Class 4’ soils

2. Catchment Characterisation

SELECTION CRITERIA DERRYVALLEY SUB-CATCHMENT

LOUGH MAJOR SUB-CATCHMENT

Ecological Water Quality Status 2013: Q3-4 ‘Moderate Status’2017: Q3-4 ‘Moderate Status’

2013: Q4 ‘Good Status’2017: Q3-4 ‘Moderate Status’

Nutrient Conditions 2015: Phosphate ‘Poor Status’2017: Phosphate ‘Poor Status’ -

Results of MCPA Monitoring Highest MCPA concentration of 4.6ug/l

Highest MCPA concentration of 0.1ug/l

Nutrient Susceptibility Maps Higher percentage of ‘Near Surface Phosphate Susceptibility’

Lower percentage of ‘Near Surface Phosphate Susceptibility’

Upper Dromore River / White Lough Sub-Catchments

3. Further Catchment Characterisation• 45km of surface water courses in Derryvalley Sub-Catchment

• Approx. 75% of landowners adjacent to water channel identified (circa 79 farmers)

• Good correlation with Monaghan County Council ‘Derryvalley Project’ records

• Have been contacted by letter and follow up phone call and / or face to face conversation

Importance of ‘Ground Proofing Maps’

Example of Catchment Walk Mapping

4. Further Catchment Characterisation Consequence of erosion / poaching / bare soils during heavy rainfall !!!

4. Identify Possible Mitigation Strategies • Proposed to trial Weed Wiping Programme in Derryvalley Sub-Catchment in

2019;

• Similar Approach to NI Seagahan Weed Wiping Trial Project (using Glyphosate);

• Demonstrated MCPA residual reduction of more than 50%;

• Rush mapping used to identify landowners willing to participate in pilot;

• Project launch also used to allow landowners to sign up to the scheme.

4. Identify Possible Mitigation Strategies

Prime candidate for fencing(note elevations)

Prime candidate for Aquamatnose pump drinking system

Prime candidate for simple costfree solution with farmers co-operation

4. Identify Possible Mitigation Strategies Upstream monitoring point from Ballybay UWWTP – ‘Poor Status’ as a consequence of Phosphate

Downstream monitoring point from Ballybay UWWTP – ‘Bad Status’ as a consequence of Phosphate

2018 Low Flow: Upstream – 0.11 P mg/lDownstream – 0.24 P mg/l

4. Identify Possible Mitigation Strategies

• Plan to expand the NFGWS ‘On-Site Waste Water Pilot Project’ in 2019;

• Bundled septic tank De-Sludging approach;

• Hoped price reduction will encourage participation.

4. Identify Possible Mitigation Strategies Communication as a Mitigation Strategy!!!

• Northern Sound – Agriview 8th November 2018;

• Cavan Monaghan Science Festival: Corduff Agricultural Catchments Programme; Exploring Citizen Science on the Dromore River Corridor.

• WISDOM Project; and

• Green Flags Programme – Corcaghan Primary School

5. ICM Plan & Implementation • Integrated Catchment Management Plan to be issued at the beginning of

March 2019;

• Contents to include: Completed initial catchment characterisation (desktop study); Further characterisation of Derryvalley Sub-Catchment (seasonal assessment); Mitigation proposals & schedule of works for 2019; and Communication strategy for 2019.

• Monthly circulars – sampling results / mitigation installation etc.