The National Arterial Drainage Maintenance List of Activities 2016-2021 Volume II- Final SEA Environmental Report February 2017 Office of Public Work Headford, Co. Galway JBA Consulting 24 Grove Island Corbally Limerick Ireland JBA Project Manager Tom Sampson BSc MSc FRGS C.WEM MCIWEM Revision History Revision Ref / Date Issued Amendments Issued to Version 1.0 / October 2016 Nathy Gilligan, OPW Version 2.0 / December 2016 Inclusion of archaeology and cultural heritage sections. Nathy Gilligan, OPW Updates following client review. Version 3.0/ February 2017 Final amendments Nathy Gilligan, OPW Contract This report describes work commissioned by The Office of Public Works, by a letter dated (27/01/2016). The Office of Public Works’ representative for the contract was Nathy Gilligan. Tom Sampson, Declan Egan, Anne Murray, Niamh Sweeny and Catalina Herrera of JBA Consulting carried out this work. Prepared by ................................................... Catalina Herrera BSc MSc ....................................................................... Declan Egan BSc MSc CSci CEnv C.WEM MCIWEM MCIWM ....................................................................... Tom Sampson BSc MSc FRGS C.WEM MCIWEM Reviewed by ................................................. Declan Egan BSc MSc CSci CEnv C.WEM MCIWEM MCIWM Purpose This document has been prepared as a draft report for The Office of Public Works. 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 Office of Public Works. Volume II- Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2016-2021 SEA Environmental Report Copyright Copyright – Copyright is with Office of Public Works. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be copied or reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of the Office of Public works. Legal Disclaimer This report is subject to the limitations and warranties contained in the contract between the commissioning party (Office of Public Works) and JBA. Carbon Footprint A printed copy of the main text in this document will result in a carbon footprint of 528g if 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used and 672g 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. Volume II- Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2016-2021 SEA Environmental Report Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................. iv List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................... viii 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 SEA Definition and Role .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Legislation and Guidelines .......................................................................................... 1 1.3 Scope of the SEA ........................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Objectives of the SEA .................................................................................................. 2 1.5 Layout of the Environmental Report ............................................................................ 2 1.6 Habitats Directive Appropriate Assessment ................................................................ 3 2 Legislative Background ............................................................................................ 4 2.1 Arterial Drainage Legislative Background ................................................................... 4 2.2 Flood Policy ................................................................................................................. 4 3 Programme Description ............................................................................................ 7 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 7 3.2 Arterial Drainage Maintenance .................................................................................... 7 3.3 Environmental Management and Maintenance Planning ............................................ 11 3.4 OPW Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) ............................................................. 15 3.5 Mitigation and Monitoring............................................................................................. 17 4 Approach to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) ............................. 20 4.1 Introduction to the SEA Process .................................................................................. 20 4.2 Screening ..................................................................................................................... 20 4.3 Scoping ........................................................................................................................ 21 4.4 Assessment & Evaluation ............................................................................................ 21 4.5 Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 24 5 Interaction with other Plans, Programmes, and Policies ...................................... 25 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 25 5.2 Plan and Policy Context............................................................................................... 25 5.3 Related studies ............................................................................................................ 29 6 Current Environmental Status .................................................................................. 32 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 32 6.2 Human Beings ............................................................................................................. 33 6.3 Water ........................................................................................................................... 37 6.4 Morphology, geomorphology, and hydromorphology .................................................. 53 6.5 Geology and soil .......................................................................................................... 55 6.6 Land-Use and Land-Cover .......................................................................................... 57 6.7 Flora and Fauna .......................................................................................................... 66 6.8 Cultural Heritage .......................................................................................................... 81 6.9 Climate Change ........................................................................................................... 88 6.10 Inter-relationship .......................................................................................................... 91 6.11 Summary of Environmental Constraints ...................................................................... 94 7 SEA Objectives .......................................................................................................... 98 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 98 7.2 Development of the SEA Objectives ........................................................................... 98 7.3 Internal compatibility of the SEA Goals ....................................................................... 99 8 Consultation ............................................................................................................... 105 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 105 8.2 Project Website ............................................................................................................ 105 Volume II- Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2016-2021 SEA Environmental Report 8.3 Formal Consultation ..................................................................................................... 105 9 Alternatives Considered ........................................................................................... 107 9.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 107 9.2 Alternatives Considered............................................................................................... 107 10 Evaluation of the Impacts of the Proposed Arterial Maintenance Activities ....... 109 10.1 Summary of the Assessment of the Activities ............................................................. 109 10.2 Summary of potential impacts ..................................................................................... 110 10.3 Cumulative Impacts/ In-combination effects ................................................................ 118 11 Recommended Mitigation Measures ......................................................................