Environmental River Enhancement Programme 2008 – 2012 Final Report May 2013 Inland Fisheries Ireland Inland Fisheries Ireland i Inland Fisheries Ireland Acknowledgments The assistance and support of OPW staff, of all grades, from each of the three Drainage Maintenance Regions is gratefully appreciated. The support provided by regional IFI officers, in respect of site inspections and follow up visits and assistance with electrofishing surveys is also acknowledged. Overland access was kindly provided by landowners in a range of channels and across a range of OPW drainage schemes. Project Personnel Members of the EREP team include: Dr. Martin O’Grady Dr. James King Dr. Karen Delanty Brian Coghlan Rossa O’Briain Michelle O’Regan The report includes Ordnance Survey Ireland data reproduced under OSi Copyright Permit No. MP 007508. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland copyright. © Ordnance Survey Ireland, 2012. ii Inland Fisheries Ireland iii Inland Fisheries Ireland Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... iv 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 2 EREP Programme 2008 – 2012 ............................................................................................ 3 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 EREP Overview 2008 – 2012 .......................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 Capital Works ......................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2 Enhanced Maintenance ........................................................................................... 11 3 Bio-diversity and EREP Monitoring ....................................................................................... 13 3.1 River Corridor Bio-diversity .............................................................................................. 13 3.2 Fish Studies ................................................................................................................ 14 3.2.1 Fish Monitoring Programme ..................................................................................... 14 3.2.2 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 16 3.2.3 Fish Population Index surveys for 2012 ..................................................................... 22 3.2.4 Fish Population Index surveys 2009-2012 ................................................................. 30 3.3 River Corridor Flora...................................................................................................... 34 3.3.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 34 3.3.2 Floating and Submerged River Vegetation ................................................................. 42 3.3.3 Sites of high biodiversity value ................................................................................ 45 3.4 Bird Population studies ................................................................................................. 47 3.4.1 Habitats ................................................................................................................ 48 3.4.2 Pre and Post works monitoring................................................................................. 49 3.4.3 Undrained Channels ............................................................................................... 50 3.4.4 Additional Bird Sightings ......................................................................................... 54 3.5 Macro-invertebrate Monitoring ...................................................................................... 57 3.5.1 Aquatic Macro-invertebrate Monitoring ...................................................................... 57 3.5.2 Results and Discussion............................................................................................ 58 3.6 Physical Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 61 3.6.1 River Maine ........................................................................................................... 62 4 Other Scientific Studies ...................................................................................................... 66 4.1 Crayfish Studies .......................................................................................................... 66 4.1.1 Fyke Netting Data Analysis ...................................................................................... 73 4.1.2 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................................ 75 4.2 Lamprey Studies ......................................................................................................... 77 4.2.1 Monitoring studies on the River Stonyford ................................................................. 79 5 Scientific Monitoring Over-view ........................................................................................... 86 5.1.1 Fish Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 86 5.1.2 Flora Studies ......................................................................................................... 86 5.1.3 Bird Studies .......................................................................................................... 86 5.1.4 Macro-invertebrate Monitoring ................................................................................. 87 5.1.5 Physical Monitoring ................................................................................................ 87 iv Inland Fisheries Ireland 5.1.6 Lamprey Monitoring ............................................................................................... 87 5.1.7 Crayfish Monitoring ................................................................................................ 87 5.2 Future Monitoring Programme 2013 – 2017 .................................................................... 88 6 Brown Trout Genetic Studies .............................................................................................. 90 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 90 6.2 Some of the Fishery Management Implications ............................................................... 91 6.2.1 Boyne .................................................................................................................. 91 6.2.2 Suir ..................................................................................................................... 92 6.2.3 L. Ennell Genetic Study .......................................................................................... 92 6.3 The Implications of the Genetic Studies to the EREP Project ............................................. 92 6.4 Future ....................................................................................................................... 93 7 EREP Audit Programme ...................................................................................................... 96 7.1 2012 Audit Results ...................................................................................................... 96 7.2 EREP Audit Review 2008–2012 ..................................................................................... 99 8 OPW Training Programme ................................................................................................ 102 9 River Hydromorphology Assessment Technique (RHAT) ....................................................... 104 9.1 Review of RHAT Surveys ............................................................................................ 109 References .......................................................................................................................... 111 Appendices I - IV ................................................................................................................. 114 v Inland Fisheries Ireland 1 Introduction Since the early 1990’s the Office of Public Works (OPW) has been in engaged in scientific studies with Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI (formerly the Central Fisheries Board). The aims of such studies were to identify the environmental impacts of drainage maintenance in OPW channels and to develop alternative strategies that would facilitate environmentally friendly maintenance programmes. In recent years a number of legislative and national polices, such as the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), the EU Habitats Directive and the National Biodiversity Plan have increased the need for the OPW to consider the ecology of the environment in which they work in. As part fulfilment of these issues the OPW initiated the current five year research project with IFI - Environmental