New website launched for Shannon flood risk group
A new website to provide the public with information on flood risk and water levels on the River Shannon has been launched.
The Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, announced the new website for the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Coordination Working Group.
Minister Moran also confirmed that funding of €2 million will be allocated for future "strategic maintenance work" on the Shannon.
The working group was established in 2016, following severe flooding that impacted the River Shannon Basin, to coordinate the future efforts of the relevant state agencies in the region.
The website is designed to share information with communities and the general public about the work of the group.
The site includes animated videos explaining how water levels are managed, the programme of flood relief schemes, and the nature of the river and why parts of the Shannon River Basin District, such as the Shannon Callows, can be vulnerable to flooding in times of prolonged and heavy rainfall.
The work of the group includes progressing a programme of strategic maintenance on the river, which has spent approximately €1.3 million to date.
On behalf of the working group, Waterways Ireland is advancing a planned programme of strategic maintenance works.
These works include the management and delivery of tree pruning and vegetation maintenance, and planned silt removal, with associated ecological and environmental assessments at 23 locations along the Shannon.
Commenting on the new website and the work of the group, Minister Moran said: "I have seen first hand the effects of flooding along the River Shannon and across the country.
"I fully support the work of the group, which is focused on mitigating flood risk and ensuring that the work of all state agencies involved with the River Shannon is closely coordinated," he added.
"The programme of strategic maintenance being undertaken on behalf of the group is critical to mitigate flood risk and I remain firmly committed to working closely with communities and ensuring that the group has appropriate funding for this programme.
"In this context I can confirm that funding of €2 million has been earmarked for future strategic maintenance work. The group will be consulting with key stakeholders to identify any additional location that can be added to this programme of maintenance on the Shannon.
"It is my hope that this website will become a trusted reference point for everyone with an interest in the Shannon, from residents to researchers, from farmers to policymakers," Minister Moran said.
