Lough Neagh Facts and Figures Surface area - 383km² Length (North-South) - 25km Width (East-West) - 15km Tufted Duck (S. Foster) Length of shoreline - Approx. 125km Present height above sea level - 12.5m Great Crested Grebe (D. Gibson) Sedge Warbler (D. Gibson) AV Useful sources of information: Average depth - 9m MAX • The Geology of Northern Ireland 2004 Ian Mitchell Maximum depth - 29m Lough Neagh Environmental Designations • Ireland 1999 David Cabot Capacity - 800 billion gallons • By the Shores of Lough Neagh 2008 Brian Cassells 3.5 million million litres Lough Neagh is home to both nationally and internationally recognised species of flora and fauna and is considered an important wetland site in the UK and Ireland. • Discover Lough Neagh. Lough Neagh Landscape Partnership In order to protect the habitats and wildlife, a number of environmental designations have been placed on Lough Neagh and the surrounding areas. www.loughneaghlp.com • Ramsar Site. Designated by the UK • Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Sites • The Geology of Co Antrim | Culture Northern Ireland Government under the ‘Convention on that have been adopted by the European www.culturenorthernireland.org › features › heritage Wetlands of International Importance for Commission and formally designated by waterfowl’. Signed at Ramsar in Iran in the government of each country. These are 1971, Lough Neagh was the first Ramsar Site designated due to the presence of rare or declared in Northern Ireland in 1976. threatened habitats or species. It is a strict Conservation Service, Lough Neagh Discovery Centre requirement under the Habitats Directive • Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) Oxford Island NNR, Craigavon, BT66 6NJ that these sites are managed appropriately Protected area that represents the best to protect the species and habitats. of our wildlife sites and which make a Tel: 028 3832 2205 Web: www.oxfordisland.com significant contribution to the conservation • National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are chosen Facebook: www.facebook.com/oxfordislandnaturereserve of our most valuable natural places. from among the very best examples of our wildlife, habitats and geology and their • Special Protection Area (SPA). Designated designation is a public recognition by the under the European Commission Directive Government of their importance. Around on the Conservation of Wild Birds. All Lough Neagh the following areas have been The name of ‘Lough Neagh’ is derived from the ancient Irish name of Eochy or European Community member States declared NNRs. Lough Beg, Randalstown Echaidh. It is told that after fleeing from his father on a magical horse he set up are required to identify internationally Forest, Rea’s Wood and Farr’s Bay, Oxford camp in Ulster with his followers. Within the camp a spring appeared and provided important areas for breeding, over- Island, Mullenakill and Annagarriff Woods water for the community, however, against advice, the spring was left unattended wintering and migrating birds and designate (Peatlands Park), and Lough Neagh Islands. and rose up and flooded the lands around them drowning Echaidh and all of his them as Special Protection Areas. followers. The waters became known as Loch nEchach, Lough Neagh. Lower • Lough Neagh has been recognised as a • Lough Neagh has the largest commercial Bann Moyo wetland of international importance as it eel fishery in Europe, exporting la R Lough regularly supports over 20,000 waterfowl. approximately 400 tonnes of eels annually iv Beg e to outlets in England and Europe. r R • The two largest islands on Lough Neagh i v Lough Neagh e ANTRIM are Coney Island in the south west and • 1.7 million tonnes of sand is extracted r M Ram’s Island, which lies off the eastern commercially from the Lough each year. a i n shore. This is used in the production of glass, Facts and Figures Si tiles, cement products and used in the DERRY / x • Lough Neagh provides drinking water for Mi le W construction industry. LONDONDERRY ater 40% of Northern Ireland’s population, The geology of Ireland is complex and contains many different types of rock approximately 750,000 people. D which scientists tell us were formed millions of years ago. Much of the land which u no now makes up Northern Ireland was covered by a shallow sea (145 to 66 million re Rive ry River r years ago) and accumulations of mud, marine algae and the remains of other sea der llin creatures developed into chalk. Ba Two major volcanic eruptions (59 and 55 twice the size of the lough today sank to a in River ml ru million years ago) deposited an extensive depth of 350 metres below sea level. C iv area of basalt on top of the soft chalk. avy R er Mud, sand and debris were carried into len The creation of these new rocks caused G this lake where they settled, bringing the stresses within the earth’s crust and major TYRONE bottom of Lough Neagh close to what it is faults occurred. Around 35 million years today. These accumulations resulted in the ago downward warping and subsidence formation of the Lough Neagh Clays which Portmore Lough lead to the formation of a large lake extend over 500Km2 to the south and west stretching from Ballymoney to Portadown of the Lough. – an early Lough Neagh. This area, roughly C o L a ag li a sl l n and Cana C an Lough al Neagh U r C p Geology a e p v l e i l r a Cross R B n r a e R n section t n i a v e DOWN w r k c ARMAGH a l B • Lough Neagh is bordered by 5 of the 6 • The deepest part of the lough is found counties in Northern Ireland. near Toome where it reaches a depth of 29 metres. It is known as “the Hole”. • In total, 42% of Northern Ireland’s surface • Beneath the surface of the water is a 2 area drains into Lough Neagh. Two million years ago the climate of Ireland 383Km but prior to the 1840s it covered rich and varied food supply supporting Industries associated with changed to one which was much colder a much larger area and at this time the • There are six major rivers flowing into aquatic insects, fish and birds. and vast ice sheets periodically covered surrounding lowlands were susceptible to Lough Neagh. Lough Neagh and the surrounding lands much of the country. This cold era ended winter flooding. In order to prevent this, four • It is estimated that 100,000 bloodworms • There is only one river taking water from 10,000 years ago. separate schemes were undertaken to lower (larvae of the Lough Neagh Fly) inhabit Lough Neagh and the surrounding area Lough Neagh played a central role in the water level of the Lough between 1846 Lough Neagh to the sea. This is the Lower every square metre of the Lough’s bed. contains a wealth of resources which have the transportation network of Northern As the ice sheets retreated, they left behind and 1959. In total, the water level has been River Bann. These are eaten by many species of been exploited over the centuries. The Ireland from the 1700s to the 1930s with the a deep layer of glacial drift on the lower lowered by 2.5 metres and is now controlled predatory insect, fish and diving duck. extraction of peat, coal and clay and the development of the canal system. It was lying areas around the Lough. Sand deposits • Water flowing into Lough Neagh remains by sluice gates on the Lower Bann as the • Lough Neagh is home to many species of production of willow baskets were important linked to the west and south by the Ulster accumulated on the Lough bed, washed there for an average of sixteen months. water leaves Lough Neagh. native and non-native fish. Native species industries in the past. Today the main Canal, to Belfast by the Lagan Canal and to down from the surrounding land by glacial • Lough Neagh is a shallow lake with an include, Pollan, Brown Trout and the activities are fishing, agriculture, sand the Irish Sea by the Newry Canal. meltwaters and rivers. Following the lowering of the water level average depth of 9 metres. This makes it extraction, the provision of water supply many small islands emerged in Lough Neagh. European Eel. Non-native or introduced Today Lough Neagh covers an area of a very attractive habitat for wildlife. species include Perch and Roach. and, tourism and recreation..