Office of Public Works Arterial Drainage Maintenance Works – Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme Stage 1: Appropriate Assessment Screening February 2016 Office of Public Works Main Street Headford Co Galway Ireland JBA Project Manager Jonathan Cooper 24 Grove Island Corbally Limerick Ireland Revision History Revision Ref / Date Issued Amendments Issued to Nathy Gilligan, OPW V1.0 / February 2016 Tony Brew, OPW Contract This report describes work commissioned by the Office of Public Works, by a letter dated 05/06/2015. The Office of Public Works’s representative for the contract was Tony Brew. Niamh Sweeney, Tom Sampson and Catalina Herrerar of JBA Consulting carried out this work. Prepared by .................................................. Tom Sampson BSc MSc FRGS C.WEM MCIWEM ....................................................................... Niamh Sweeney BSc, MSc. Reviewed by ................................................. Anne Murray BSc MCIEEM Purpose This document has been prepared as a Draft 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 © JBA Consulting Engineers and Scientists Ltd 2016 Carbon Footprint A printed copy of the main text in this document will result in a carbon footprint of 594g if 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used and 756g 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. 2015s2905 AA Screening Moy v1.0 i Executive Summary JBA Consulting has been commissioned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to provide environmental consultancy services in relation to statutory arterial drainage maintenance activities for 2015. Following the methodology outlined in the Screening Methodology Report (Ryan Hanley, 2014a), this report assesses the likely significant effects on Natura 2000 sites within the zone of influence of the proposed drainage maintenance activities in the Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme in accordance with Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora). Three source > pathway > receptor chains have been examined to assess the likely impact of drainage maintenance activities on Natura 2000 sites; surface water, land and air, and groundwater pathways. From this screening exercise it has been determined that significant likely effects may arise on the following Natura 2000 sites as a result of OPW drainage maintenance activities in the Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme. Pathway of Impact Comment Site Surface Land Ground Water and Air water The turlough habitat for which this SAC is designated Balla Turlough SAC could be adversely impacted upon by groundwater (000463) pathways. No impacts via other pathways are anticipated. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat population of this SAC could Ballinafad SAC (002081) potentially be impacted upon in relation to foraging habitat outside the SAC boundary. Potential adverse impacts via all three pathways were identified as a result of the screening exercise. However, Killala Bay/Moy Estuary not all interest features will be impacted upon by each SAC (000458) pathway, depending on whether they are surface water or groundwater dependent features and their location. All interest features of this site, including both the habitats (i.e. bogs, woodlands) and species (i.e. White-clawed River Moy SAC (002298) crayfish, Otter, Salmon, lampreys) will potentially be adversely impacted upon via all three pathways. Potential adverse impacts on the wetland bird populations Killala Bay/Moy Estuary of this site via all three pathways were identified as a SPA (004036) result of the screening exercise. Potential adverse impacts on the wetland bird populations Lough Conn and Lough of this site via all three pathways were identified as a Cullin SPA (004228) result of the screening exercise. Potential adverse impacts on surface water dependent habitats and species have been identified ansd are Lough Hoe Bog SAC assumed to be located throughout the SAC and so could (000633) be within 3km upstream of arterial drainage maintenance works. Potential adverse impacts on surface water dependent habitats and species have been identified ansd are Ox Mountains Bogs SAC assumed to be located throughout the SAC and so could (002006) be within 3km upstream of arterial drainage maintenance works. Note: Red = likely significant effect Green = no likely significant effect GIS files of the screening results by channel and embankment are supplied with this report. The attributes of these files are presented in Appendix B. The impact of OPW drainage maintenance activities in the Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme will therefore need to be subject to further assessment at a Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment. 2015s2905 AA Screening Moy v1.0 ii Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. ii 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Legislative Context ....................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Appropriate Assessment Process ................................................................................ 1 1.4 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 2 2 Descriptions of Proposals – The Moy Scheme ....................................................... 4 2.1 Background ................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Drainage Maintenance Activities .................................................................................. 4 2.3 The Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme .............................................................................. 5 3 Surface Water Pathways ............................................................................................ 6 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Results for the Moy Scheme......................................................................................... 6 4 Land and Air Pathways .............................................................................................. 23 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 23 4.2 Results for the Moy Scheme ......................................................................................... 23 5 Groundwater Pathways .............................................................................................. 34 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 34 5.2 Results for the Moy Scheme......................................................................................... 34 6 Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 47 Appendices............................................................................................................................... I A Maps of Screened In Channels ................................................................................. I B Screening Results ...................................................................................................... II 2015s2905 AA Screening Moy v1.0 List of Figures Figure 1-1: The Appropriate Assessment Process (from: Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland - Guidance for Planning Authorities, DEHLG, 2009) ........................................................................................................................ 1 Figure 1-2: Assessment process and relevant report sections ................................................ 3 Figure 2-1: Map of the Moy Scheme ......................................................................................... 5 Figure 3-1: Moy Water Management WFD Map........................................................................ 7 Figure 3-2: Conn Water Management Unit WFD Map .............................................................. 8 Figure 3-3: Location of Estuaries (1130) within Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC (000458), from NPWS, 2012 .................................................................................................... 13 Figure 3-4: Location of mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide (1140) within Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC (000458), from NPWS, 2012 ............... 14 Figure 3-5: Location of Saltmarsh Habitats including Salicorna and other colonising mud and sand (1310) within Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC (000458) from NPWS 2012.......................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 3-6: Location of Narrow-Mouthed Whorl Snail Vertigo angustior (1014) within Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC (000458),