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JBA Consulting Report Template 2015

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JBA Consulting Report Template 2015 Office of Public Works Arterial Drainage Maintenance Works - Donegal Arterial Drainage Scheme 2019-2023 Stage 2: Natura Impact Statement December 2018 Office of Public Works Templemungret House Mungret Co. Limerick JBA Project Manager Tom Sampson 24 Grove Island Corbally Limerick Ireland Revision History Revision Ref / Date Issued Amendments Issued to V0.4 Internal review Tanya Slattery (JBA) V0.10 Internal review Niamh Burke (JBA) V2.0 / 19 Dec 2018 Revisions following client Tony Brew (OPW) review Contract This report describes work commissioned by Helena Fagan, on behalf of the Office of Public Works, by a letter dated 6 June, 2018. The Office of Public Works representative for the contract was Tony Brew. Joe Freijser and Malin Lundberg of JBA Consulting carried out this work. Field survey work was carried out by Catalina Herrera, Colm O'Leary, Jonathan Harrison and Chris Toop of JBA Consulting between 30 July and 3 August. Prepared by .................................................. JBA Joe Freijser BA MSc Ecologist Malin Lundberg BSc MSc Assistant Ecologist Reviewed by ................................................. Tanya Slattery BSc MSc Ecologist Niamh Burke BSc PhD CEnv MCIEEM Senior Ecologist Purpose This document has been prepared as a Final Report for the OPW. JBA Consulting accepts no responsibility or liability for any use that is made of this document other than by the Client for the purposes for which it was originally commissioned and prepared. JBA Consulting has no liability regarding the use of this report except to the OPW. Copyright © Jeremy Benn Associates Limited 2018 Carbon Footprint A printed copy of the main text in this document will result in a carbon footprint of 577g if 100% post- consumer recycled paper is used and 735g if primary-source paper is used. These figures assume the report is printed in black and white on A4 paper and in duplex. JBA is aiming to reduce its per capita carbon emissions. 2018s0768 - Office of Public Works - NIS Donegal V2.0.docx i Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Legislative context .............................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Appropriate Assessment Process ...................................................................................... 4 1.4 Methodology....................................................................................................................... 5 2 Project Description ................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Arterial Drainage Maintenance ........................................................................................... 8 2.2 Drainage Maintenance Activities ........................................................................................ 8 2.3 The Arterial Drainage Scheme .......................................................................................... 15 2.4 Drainage Maintenance Works Proposed for the Donegal Arterial Drainage Scheme ........ 15 3 Screening Assessment Results ............................................................................. 16 3.1 Surface Water Pathways .................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Land and air pathways ....................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Groundwater pathways ...................................................................................................... 26 3.4 Summary of screening results ............................................................................................ 33 4 Existing Environment ............................................................................................. 35 4.1 General .............................................................................................................................. 35 4.2 Ecology - Overview ............................................................................................................ 35 4.3 Ecological walkover survey results ..................................................................................... 36 4.4 Flora ................................................................................................................................... 44 4.5 Non-Native and Invasive Species ...................................................................................... 45 5 Natura 2000 sites within the Zone of Influence of the works/scheme ................... 46 5.1 River Finn SAC .................................................................................................................. 46 5.2 Lough Swilly SAC ............................................................................................................... 48 5.3 Lough Swilly SPA ............................................................................................................... 49 6 Appropriate Assessment........................................................................................ 51 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 51 6.2 Identification of Potential Sources of Impact ...................................................................... 51 6.3 Impact Assessment ............................................................................................................ 54 6.4 Impact Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 56 7 Avoidance and Mitigation Measures ...................................................................... 75 7.1 Site specific mitigation measures ....................................................................................... 75 7.2 Mitigation for Bridge/Sluice/Structural Works ..................................................................... 76 8 Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 78 References.......................................................................................................................... 80 Appendices ......................................................................................................................... I A Conservation Objectives ........................................................................................ I B Flora and Fauna ............................................................................................................................... XVI I C Non-native invasive species ............................................................................................................................... XL VIII D Environmental Drainage Maintenance Manual ..................................................... LIII E Foreman's Bridge Inspection Report ..................................................................... LIV F Environmental Risk Assessment Form .................................................................. LV G Ecological Survey Extent ....................................................................................... LVI 2018s0768 - Office of Public Works - NIS Donegal V2.0.docx Contents H Channels, Embankments, Bridges and Sluices screened into assessment and pathways of impact ............................................................................................................................... LVI I 2018s0768 - Office of Public Works - NIS Donegal V2.0.docx List of Figures Figure 1-1: The Appropriate Assessment Process (from: Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland - Guidance for Planning Authorities, DoEHLG, 2009).. 4 Figure 1-2: Screening assessment process ...................................................................... 6 Figure 3-1 Channels of the Donegal Scheme with potential impacts via surface water pathways ........................................................................................................... 17 Figure 3-2 Channels and embankments with potential impacts via land and air pathways ........................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 3-3 Channels and embankments with potential impacts via groundwater pathways ........................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 4-1 Depositing lowland river mosaic with wet willow-alder-ash woodland .............. 38 Figure 4-2 Blanket Nook channel C2 with Ranunculus Sp. ................................................ 39 Figure 4-3 Marsh habitat next to channel C1 section A at Inch Level with the potential to be Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels (6430) ...................................................................................................... 40 Figure 4-4 Muddy sand shore ............................................................................................. 41 Figure 4-5 Mud shore with Salicornia habitat present On Swilly embankment E1 ............. 42 Figure 4-6 Potential Alluvial woodland along Deele and Swillyburn E2 embankment ....... 43 Figure 5-1
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