JBA Consulting Report Template 2015
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Office of Public Works Arterial Drainage Maintenance Works - Feale 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 V0.8 Internal review N Burke (JBA) V1.0 / 04 Dec 2018 First issue to client Tony Brew (OPW) V2.0 / 18 Dec 2018 Updates 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. Tanya Slattery, Hannah Mulcahy and Malin Lundberg of JBA Consulting carried out this work. Field survey work was carried out by Independent Ecologist Rory Dalton. Prepared by .................................................. Tanya Slattery BSc (Hons) MSc MSc (Res) Ecologist Malin Lundberg BSc MSc Assistant Ecologist Hannah Mulcahy BSc (Hons) MSc Assistant Ecologist Reviewed by ................................................. Niamh Burke BSc (Hons) 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 437g if 100% post- consumer recycled paper is used and 556g 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 Feale V2.0.docx i 2018s0768 - Office of Public Works - NIS Feale V2.0.docx ii Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Legislative context .............................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Appropriate Assessment Process ...................................................................................... 4 1.4 Methodology....................................................................................................................... 5 2 Project Description ................................................................................................. 9 2.1 Arterial Drainage Maintenance ........................................................................................... 9 2.2 Drainage Maintenance Activities ........................................................................................ 9 2.3 The Feale Arterial Drainage Maintenance Scheme............................................................ 16 2.4 Drainage Maintenance Works Proposed for the Feale Arterial Drainage Scheme ............. 16 3 Screening Assessment Results ............................................................................. 17 3.1 Surface Water Pathways .................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Land and air pathways ....................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Groundwater pathways ...................................................................................................... 27 4 Existing Environment ............................................................................................. 32 4.1 General .............................................................................................................................. 32 4.2 Ecology - Overview ............................................................................................................ 32 4.3 Ecological walkover survey results ..................................................................................... 33 4.4 Flora ................................................................................................................................... 44 4.5 Fauna ................................................................................................................................. 44 4.6 Non-native Invasive species .............................................................................................. 45 5 Natura 2000 sites within the Zone of Influence of the works/scheme ................... 46 5.1 Moanveanlagh Bog SAC .................................................................................................... 46 5.2 Lower River Shannon SAC ................................................................................................ 47 6 Appropriate Assessment........................................................................................ 50 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 50 6.2 Identification of potential sources of Impact ....................................................................... 50 6.3 Impact Assessment ............................................................................................................ 53 6.4 Impact Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 56 7 Avoidance and Mitigation Measures ...................................................................... 72 7.1 Site specific mitigation measures ....................................................................................... 72 7.2 Mitigation for Bridge/Sluice/Structural Works ..................................................................... 73 8 Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 75 References.......................................................................................................................... 77 Appendices ......................................................................................................................... I A Conservation Objectives ........................................................................................ I B Protected Fauna .................................................................................................... XIII C Non-native Invasive Species ................................................................................. XX D Environmental Drainage Maintenance Manual ..................................................... XXI E Foreman’s Bridge Inspection Report ............................................................................................................................... XXI I F Environmental Risk Assessment Form ............................................................................................................................... XXI II G Ecological Survey Extent ............................................................................................................................... XXI V 2018s0768 - Office of Public Works - NIS Feale V2.0.docx Contents H Channels, Embankments, Bridges and Sluices screened into assessment and pathways of impact ............................................................................................................................... XX V 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).. 5 Figure 1-2: Screening assessment process ...................................................................... 7 Figure 2-1 Extent of Feale Arterial Drainage Scheme ........................................................ 16 Figure 3-1 Channels of the Feale Scheme with potential impacts via surface water pathways ........................................................................................................... 18 Figure 3-2 Channels and embankments with potential impacts via land and air pathways ........................................................................................................................... 22 Table 3-6 Natura 2000 site with potential to be impacted by groundwater pathways ........ 27 Figure 3-3 Channels and embankments with potential impacts via groundwater pathways ........................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 4-1 Kingfisher nest and Badger sett in sandy bank found along the survey area of the Feale River .................................................................................................. 33 Figure 4-2 Arable crops of Wheat with a small border of scrub adjacent to the River Feale ........................................................................................................................... 34 Figure 4-3 River Feale Estuary with Fixed Dunes on opposite bank ................................. 35 Figure 4-4 Reed and large sedge swamp with grassy verges on the embankment .......... 37 Figure 4-5 Improved agricultural grassland .......................................................................