Bathing Water Profile - Ballyallia Lake, Ennis (2013)

Transcription

1 Bathing Water Profile - Ballyallia Lake, Ennis (2013) Bathing Water: Ballyallia Lake, Ennis Bathing Water Code: IESHBWL27_72_0100 Local Authority: Clare County Council River Basin District: Shannon Monitoring Point: E, N 1. Profile Profile Id: BWPR00141 Toilets Available: Year Of Profile: 2013 Car Parking Available: Year Of Identification 1994 Disabled Access: Version Number: 1 First Aid Available: Sensitive Area: Dogs Allowed: Lifesaving Facilities: Figure 1: Bathing Water

2 2. Bathing Water Map 1: Bathing Water Location & Extent Bathing Water location and extent: Main features of the Bathing Water: Ballyallia Lake is located three miles north of Ennis just off the main Galway road The designated bathing area is 0.004km2 approx in size and extends 70m along the shoreline Type of Bathing Water The designated bathing area is based around a small slipway. The beach area consists of small stones. Flora/Fauna, Riparian Zone Ballyallia Lake is a Special Area of Conservation as well as a Special Protection Area for birds and wildlife sanctuary. It is a relatively small and naturally eutrophic set in carboniferous limestone. It is a shallow system but can rise substantially during winter floods. Habitat and species diversity around the lake is fairly low and only a few emergent plants are found such as Common Club Rush (Scirpus lacustris and Common Reed (Phragmites australis).. The site supports a good diversity of wintering waterfowl, including swans, dabbling duck, diving duck and some waders. The lake and the flood plain to the west hold nationally important numbers of Shoveler, Wigeon, Coot, Mallard and Gadwall. Significant numbers of Whooper Swan, an Annex I species under the Birds Directive, also use the site. Other regular wintering species include Teal, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Pintail and Little Grebe. The riparian zone at Ballyallia would be described as natural. Water Depth Table 2 overleaf summarises the water depth at Ballyallia. At the designated bathing area during dry periods the depth of water is as low as 1m. Tidal Range This lake is not large enough to have a tidal influence Land Use The designated bathing area at Ballyallia is located in a suburban area. Therefore in the immediate vicinity of the bathing area the landuse is predominantly residential housing, which is partly sewered. Outside of residential housing the predominant land use is agriculture in the upstream catchment. Sensitive Area Max. number of visitor during a day in high season: 10 Approx number of visitor during the bathing season:

3 Activities available at the Bathing Water: Contributing catchment details: Monitoring point details: This beach area is popular with young families who come to feed the ducks and swans, have picnics and go for walks. Ballyallia Lake is also very popular for fishing. Bathing is not considered a significant activity at this site. Ballyallia Lake is located on the River Fergus, 3 miles north of Ennis. It forms part of the River Fergus Water Unit within the Shannon River Basin District. Refer also to Fergus Water Unit Action Plant at Water Bodies Draining to Bathing Water Table 1 lists the 18 waterbodies that make up the contributing catchment. The name, code and current water quality status of the waterbody as assigned under the Water Framework Directive is detailed. Map 4 depicts the water quality status of the waterbodies. In summary 6 are high / good status, 5 are of moderate status and 7 are categorised as having poor status. Table 1, with reference to Map 4, summarises the pollution pressures of each waterbody classified as having moderate and poor water quality status. The waterbody, SH_Fergus_FergusMAIN_1Lower (Code SH_27_1122), in which Ballyallia Lake is located, is of poor status. The poor status of this waterbody is attributed to pollution from unsewered areas and agriculture, in the upstream catchment. As shown in Map 5 the River Fergus enters Ballyallia Lake west of designated bathing area and exits south of the designated bathing. A small unnamed stream enters Ballyallia just north of the designated bathing area. 1 Topography In the mid to upper reaches of the catchment is the Burren with the distinctive karst topography and its characteristic stone landforms, subterranean drainage systems and turloughs that characterise such limestone terrains. Bare rock is widespread on the hills. In the middle of this catchment, to the east of Lough Inchiquin land is predominantly level, with calcareous rocky light soils. To the west of Lough Inchiquin it consists for the most parts of moory hills with some valleys of fertility. In the lower reaches of the catchment land as a whole is very fertile with gently sloping hills. The designated bathing area is 0.004km2 approx in size and extends 70m along the shoreline. Reason for selection of the monitoring point: Location where most bathers swim Water quality assessment: 2011: Good status 2012: Sufficient status

4 3. Identified Pressures: Map 2: Bathing Water Catchment 3.1 Potential pressures in the catchment assessed as posing no risk: Forestry Plantations Forestry Other A number of large quarries Quarries Other One Section 4 ( Water Pollution Act 1977/1990) licence facility located in the catchment. On Site Waste Water Treatment Systems Serving Houses in the Vicinity of the Bathing Water Waste Water Treatment plant Disused landfill Disused landfill Other 3.2 Potential pressures in the catchment assessed as posing risk: Agriculture activity in the catchment Agriculture in the Catchment Area Run off from agricultural land

5 High Risk in bathing season < 48 hours WHO 2003 The Microbial Pollution Potential (MPP) grades for agriculture risk were calculated based on the distance from the bathing area and the agriculture risk associated with a particular area. The agriculture risk is census data based on pressures from cattle and sheep (Department of Agriculture 2000), tillage (Department of Agriculture 2000), and pigs and poultry (Teagasc 2000). te 1: WHO 2003 method assigns a Microbial Pollution Risk of severe diffuse pollution from agriculture close to the lake. However as there has been no recorded incidence of pollution of Ballyallia Lake from agriculture it is considered that the MPR is high. Risk of short-term pollution (nature frequency and duration): Overall within the catchment there is a high risk of diffuse pollution from slurry spreading during the bathing water season. Farmers are permitted to spread slurry, and other farm effluent, on spread lands, located within the catchment, throughout the bathing season. However during times of heavy rainfall there is a risk of discharge to receiving waters. This may have adverse effects on water quality at the designated bathing area at Ballyallia Lake resulting in short term pollution. Ensure that farmers are spreading slurry in accordance with the European Communities (Good Agriculture Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations In this regard, it is not permitted to apply slurry to land within 48 hours of heavy rain being forecast. Enforcement notices will be issued to farmers who are not spreading slurry in accordance with European Communities (Good Agriculture Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations Contact details of bodies responsible for taking such action: Environment and Water Services Directorate, Clare County Council. Tel: There are seven wastewater pump stations identified in the bathing water catchment. Wastewater Pumping Stations Sewer Networks Low Risk very infrequent < 24 hours Risk assessment indicates that the microbial pollution risk is very low Very Low Overflow from pump stations.

6 measures taken/proposed to be taken including time scales: 1) Clare County Council pumping stations Regular maintenance and inspections are carried out at the pump stations to ensure there is no failure of pumping equipment. In the event of a breakdown or malfunction at a pumping station staff responsible for bathing waters shall be notified immediately. 2) Privately operated pumping stations Where privately operated pumping stations are deemed a risk to the environment and /or public health appropriate enforcement action will be taken by Clare County Council under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act and / or Water Services Act Contact details of bodies responsible for taking such action: Environment and Water Services Directorate, Clare County Council. Tel: The catchment as a whole is largely unsewered apart from the villages of Corofin, Crusheen and Kilfenora. Overall the greater catchment has a low housing density. However in the hinterland of Ballyallia Lake, in particular to the east and northeast of the lake, there is a notably higher housing density. This area is partly served by the Ennis town public sewer system. While a number of the larger housing developments are privately pumped to Ennis town sewer, a significant number of single dwelling houses, within the immediate bathing water catchment, are not connected and are served by individual on-site wastewater treatment systems.single houses in catchment with OSWWT's On Site Waste Water Treatment Systems Serving Houses in the Vicinity of the Bathing Water Waste Water Treatment plant Moderate Risk <1/month < 48 hours In the immediate vicinity of the designated bathing area at Ballyallia there are the well draining Brown Earths (Kinvarra Series) and well drained Grey Brown Podzolics of the Patrickswell Series. These soils are considered as having good percolation properties. However taking into account the number of individual houses that are served by on site wastewater treatment systems, within the immediate bathing water catchment, and considering the poor microbiological status of the designated bathing area, the microbial pollution risk from unsewered developments is considered moderate. See above After heavy rainfall there is a risk that due to runoff in the catchment that microbial contamination may reach the bathing area. Privately owned on site wastewater treatment systems shall be adequately maintained and checked such that there is no risk of a foul discharge to waters including groundwater. Where wastewater treatment systems are deemed a risk to the environment and /or public health appropriate enforcement action will be taken by Clare County Council under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act and / or Water Services Act Environment and Water Services Directorate, Clare County Council. Tel: Three WWTP's with secondary treatment in catchment, Kilfenora, Corofin, Crusheen. Municipal WWTP's

7 Waste Water Treatment plant Low Risk very infrequent < 24 hours Using WHO 2003 Guidance the Microbial Risk was assessed as low for all three WWTP's. Crusheen is 15 km from designated bathing area. Since Kilfenora is located in the upper region of the catchment with several interconnected lake which act as sinks or streams it is also assessed as low risk. Corofin has new WWTP commissioned in 2010 and also low risk See above If there is a mal- function at any of the WWTP's which results in the wastewater being discharged untreated. Good management and operating systems at the WWTp's. Preventative maintenance programme in place. Ballyallia Lake is a Special Area of Conservation as well as a Special Protection Area for birds and wildlife sanctuary. The site supports a good diversity of wintering waterfowl, including swans, dabbling duck, diving duck and some waders. Waterfowl gather at the slipway where it is common practice for visitors to the designated bathing area to feed the wild life. The monitoring point is also located just beyond the slipway. Waterfowl in the lake Bird colony High Risk Very frequent < 72 hours There is naturally occurring faecal contamination from the bird life at this location. Results from the study carried out in January 2011, show a build up of ammoniacal nitrogen at the slipway which is considered to be due to the deposition of wild fowl faecal material in this area. It is therefore considered that the risk of microbial contamination at the designated bathing area is high. See above There is an on going risk of short term pollution from wildfowl at the designated bathing area. It is considered that while the duration of pollution is short the frequency is regular and often.faecal contamination due to the presence of birdlife at the edge of the lake near the designated sample location As Ballyallia Lake is a SAC/SPA for waterfowl, which inhabit the lake on a year round basis, management measures to reduce microbial loading from this pollution pressure are limited. Contact details of bodies responsible for taking such action: Environment and Water Services Directorate, Clare County Council. Tel: Algal bloom in warm sunny weather due to nutrients in the lake Algal bloom Other Moderate Risk Bathing season < 72 hours Ballyalla Lake is moderate staus

8 Risk of algal bloom is moderate Algal Blooms Investigations on nutrient inputs to the lake will be required under the work programme of the Shannon River Basin Plan. Contact details of bodies responsible for taking such action: Environment and Water Services Directorate, Clare County Council. Tel: Other Risks: Assessment of the potential for proliferation of cyanobacteria: Proposed management measures for cyanobacteria: Assessment of the potential for proliferation of macroalgae: Proposed management measures for macroalgae: Assessment of the potential for proliferation of marine phytoplankton: There has been no recorded incidence of a proliferation of cyanobacteria since this date at Ballyallia Lake. However taking into account that the overall status of Ballyallia Lake is moderate it is considered the risk of an algal bloom reoccurring during warm and calm weather conditions is moderate. N/A 1) Reactive Actions Refer to the Clare County Council Blue Green Algal Protocol attached. Monitoring for blue green algal blooms at Ballyallia Lake has been carried out on a routine basis, since 2006, in accordance with this protocol. 2) Pro-active Actions Refer to Part 4 of the Bathing Water Profile-Identification and for Potential Pollution Investigations on nutrient inputs to the lake will be required under the work program of the Shannon River Basin Plan. Further details may be obtained from the Fergus Water unit Action Plan at the following website: N/A N/A Proposed management measures for marine phytoplankton: Additional Information: N/A The following information shall be displayed on the notice board at Ballyallia Lake: Ballyallia Lake is located three miles north of Ennis just off the main Galway road. The designated bathing area is 0.004km2 approx in size and extends 70m along the shoreline. Ballyallia Lake is a Special Area of Conservation, as well as a Special Protection Area for birds and wildlife, and forms part of the River Fergus Water Unit within the Shannon River Basin District. The sampling point is located just beyond the slipway as indicated in Map 1. There is a high risk to water quality at Ballyallia arising from point and diffuse pollution sources. This is exacerbated during periods of heavy rainfall. Clare County Council endeavour to investigate and take all appropriate action to improve the water quality at the designated bathing area in Ballyallia. 4 Bathing Water Status From Previous Sampling Years: Ballyallia Lake, Ennis Poor Good Sufficient Good 5 Contact Contact: Address: Clare County Council clarebathing@clarecoco.ie Transportation, Water Services & Environment Directorate, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare

9 Phone: