Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme Environmental Constraints Study June 2011 MGE0262/1.3/CR0003 rpsgroup.com/ireland MGR0256CR0001 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ III 1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 POTENTIAL FLOOD ALLEVIATION MEASURES ..................................................................... 2 1.4 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS STUDY ..................................................... 3 2 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ................................................................... 4 2.1 LEGISLATIVE, PLANNING AND POLICY CONSTRAINTS .......................................................... 4 2.2 STAKEHOLDER CONSTRAINTS ........................................................................................... 6 2.3 SOCIO -ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS ..................................................................................... 9 2.4 ARCHAEOLOGY , ARCHITECTURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSTRAINTS ..................... 12 2.5 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................... 17 2.6 ECOLOGY CONSTRAINTS ................................................................................................ 20 2.7 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY CONSTRAINTS ........................................................... 26 2.8 SOILS , GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY CONSTRAINTS .................................................... 30 2.9 OTHER CONSTRAINTS .................................................................................................... 33 3 CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 37 4 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 38 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Clare River (Claregalway) Catchment Figure 1.2 Extent of the Clare River (Claregalway) Study Area Figure 2.1 Bord Gáis distribution network Figure 2.2 Archaeology constraints Figure 2.3 Landscape Sensitivity and Character Areas of County Galway (Source: Galway County Development Plan 2009-2015) Figure 2.4 Focal Points/Views in Galway County (Source: Galway County Development Plan 2009- 2015) Figure 2.5 Landscape Value Rating of Galway County (Source: Galway County Development Plan 2009-2015) Figure 2.6 Designated Sites within the Constraints Study Area Figure 2.7 10km Squares M33, M34, M43 and M44 Figure 2.8 Water Quality monitoring points Figure 2.9 Determination of WFD Ecological status for surface waters Figure 2.10 WFD River water body ecological status Figure 2.11 Soils within the Study Area Figure 2.12 Geology, karst features and quarries within the Study Area Figure 2.13 Aquifer classification and GSI wells within the study area Figure 2.14 Traffic constraints within the study area Figure 2.14 Strategic Noise Map for N18 Figure 2.15 Air Quality Zones 2009 MGE0262RP0001 i Rev F01 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1 Possible Alleviation Measures for the Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme Table 2.1 Legislation, Planning and Policy Requirements with Potential to Influence the Proposed Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme Table 2.2 Stakeholders Consulted and responses received at date of publication Table 2.3 Population Structure, Employment Trends and Employment Levels for the Three Main Electoral Divisions Table 2.4 Recorded Monuments and Places (RMP) located within the constraints area Table 2.5 Built Heritage sites (BH) located within the constraints area Table 2.5 Designated Sites within the Constraints Area Study Area and their Conservation Objectives Table 2.6 Flora Atlas Data Table 2.7 Fauna Recorded within the Study Area Table 2.8 WFD Surface water monitoring locations Table 2.9 Mineral Sites Located in the Study Area Table 2.10 Quarries Located in the Study Area Table 2.11 Karst features within study area Table 2.12 GSI Well Data MGE0262RP0001 ii Rev F01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The scope of this Report is to identify and map environmental constraints within the study area of the Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme. The purpose of completing this exercise is to identify where such constraints may impact upon specific flood relief measures and in so doing will inform both the stakeholder consultation and design process for the scheme from an environmental view point. The constraints tabulated below have been identified as being of primary importance. This does not suggest that other constraints identified elsewhere in the Report are unimportant, rather that there are some constraints, which are identified as being of greater significance in the overall development of the project. CATEGORY SUB SOURCE CONSTRAINTS MAP/TABLE CATEGORY REFERENCE Socio Land Use & Galway County • Existing land uses Figure 2.1 Economic Communities Development Plan • Fisheries Table 2.3 2009 – 2015 • Clare River Walkway Stakeholder Project constraints Angler’s Guide to Game Fishing in the Western Fisheries Region Material assets • Existing road network – Figure 2.1 impact on commuters Figure 2.14 • Energy infrastructure – overhead & Table 2.12 underground network e.g. ESB lines, Bord Gáis supply • Water mains and private wells • Proposed new WWTP at Claregalway • Local authority licensed discharges to the Clare River Landownership • Liaison with local and access landowners in relation to works proposed • Storage or disposal of excavated materials Archaeology & Legislative • Three Protected Figure 2.2 Cultural Constraints Structures Heritage • Two NIAH structures Tables 2.4.1 & • Galway County 19 Archaeological 2.4.2 Development Plan Heritage sites (including 2009 – 2015 52 separate RMP listings and a national monument) Assessment by • Three Areas of Irish Archaeological Archaeological Potential Consultancy Landscape & Galway County 2 protected focal points Figures 2.4 Visual Development Plan & views 2009 – 2015 MGE0262RP0001 iii Rev F01 CATEGORY SUB SOURCE CONSTRAINTS MAP/TABLE CATEGORY REFERENCE Ecology Legislative • Compliance with the Figure 2.6 Constraints Habitats and Birds Directives and National Tables 2.5 - 2.7 legislation Stakeholder • Designated habitats and constraints species Protected Flora and Fauna NPWS databases • Fisheries – salmonids, lamprey Published literature Local Ecological Important Areas Hydrology & Stakeholder Important fisheries Figure 2.8 Water Quality Constraints zones Compliance with the Table 2.2 Water Framework Legislative Directive constraints Western River Basin Management Plan Soils/Geology/ Aquifer vulnerability Figures 2.11 - Hydrogeology Surface water and 2.13 groundwater interaction Tables 2.9 – 2.12 Other Waste Requirement to handle, Constraints Management store, remove and dispose of waste material in accordance with relevant waste management legislation Traffic - Crusheeny Bridge Figure 2.14 measures will lead to traffic diversions - Local roads in Montiagh North and Montiagh South townlands – Raising sections of access roads and increasing the size of a culvert in Montiagh South will cause traffic delays and possible diversions - Construction of the footbridge at Claregalway will cause traffic delays and disruption Noise Galway County Council Figure 2.15 Draft Action Noise Plan 2008 Noise generated by the timing of works associated with the MGE0262RP0001 iv Rev F01 CATEGORY SUB SOURCE CONSTRAINTS MAP/TABLE CATEGORY REFERENCE implementation of alleviation measures may impact on residential, commuting and visitors to the study area. Air Key Indicators of Figure 2.16 Ambient Air Quality in Ireland Works associated with implementation of flood alleviation measures and the machinery involved may generate emissions and dust e.g. bridge works, storage and removal of waste material etc. MGE0262RP0001 v Rev F01 Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme Stage 1 - Environmental Constraints Study 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND In May 2011 the Office of Public Works (the OPW) appointed RPS as environmental consultants for the Clare River (Claregalway) Flood Relief Scheme. The Clare River and main tributaries form part of the Corrib Clare Arterial Drainage Scheme, which was constructed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, for which the OPW have a statutory maintenance responsibility. These original Arterial Drainage Scheme works involved substantial widening and deepening of the existing channel and tributaries with the purpose of providing outfall for the drainage of agricultural lands. In March 2010 the OPW commissioned Ryan Hanley Consulting Engineers to undertake two studies. The first related to the Clare River and its main tributary, the Abbert River, within a study area from Corofin to Lough Corrib. The study was commissioned as a result of severe damage and disruption caused by flooding in the area in November 2009 ( Image 1.1 ). The second study related to the townlands of Carnmore East and Cashla on the R339 Galway to Monivea Regional Road, which was also affected by flooding in November 2009. These studies should be read together, and are referred to as the Engineering