An Irish Strategy for River Restoration: How it works on the ground. Karen Delanty

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1 An Irish Strategy for River Restoration: How it works on the ground Karen Delanty

2 River Restoration and EU Directives River Restoration in Ireland to-date; TAM (Tourism Angling Measure) Local small scale IFI projects Salmon Conservation Stamp Fund Local Angling Initiatives Leader Funding Environmental River Enhancement Programme (EREP) In Ireland nearly all River Restoration programmes have been within salmonid channels

Fund Local Angling Initiatives Leader Funding Environmental River Enhancement

3 River Restoration and EU Directives EU Directives Water Framework Directive Habitats Directive Eel Regulations Floods Directive National Legislation

4 Water Framework Directive Biological Physical-Chemical Morphology Channelisation Embankment Impoundments

5 Habitats Directive Under this directive there is an obligation to maintain or restore the natural habitats and the populations of species of wild fauna and flora at a favourable status

6 Eels Regulations This Regulation establishes a framework for the protection and sustainable use of the stock of European eel of the species Anguilla anguilla in Community waters structural measures to make rivers passable and improve river habitats, together with other environmental measures

species Anguilla anguilla in Community waters structural measures to

7 Floods Directive The National Floods Directive does state that it aims to Focus on managing flood risk rather than rely only on flood protection measures aimed at reducing flooding Working with the Floods Directive with this in mind could be mutually beneficially to both river enhancement programmes and the Floods Directive allowing bank erosion to occur in favour of stone bank protection re-instating/ reconnecting meanders designating specific flood plain areas providing instream channel features that allow high energy channels to dissipate that energy in a more natural manner

programmes and the Floods Directive allowing bank erosion to occur in favour of stone bank protection re-instating/ reconnecting meanders

8 River Enhancement and EU Directives Because of the way all these interact with each there is a need for those responsible for implementing river enhancement and EU Directives to be aware of how their works impact on others To ensure compliance with all the legislation river enhancement programmes should consider the requirements of such as early as possible and allow for their adherence when designing enhancement plans Requirements of some Directives may become the driving force for some river enhancement works Access through artificial barriers / weirs Addressing hydromorphological changes to rivers

programmes should consider the requirements of such as early as possible and allow for their adherence when designing enhancement plans Requirements of

9 How River Enhancement fits into EU Directives Addresses WFD issues and is a mechanism for achieving good ecological status Supports the Habitats Directive Addresses issues with man-made barriers and fish passage which supports the Habitats Directive and the Eels Regulations

Habitats Directive Addresses issues with man-made barriers and fish

10 Environmental River Enhancement Programme EREP The key objective of the EREP project is to undertake environmental enhancement works within OPW drained channels and to monitor the impacts of such works on the river corridor biodiversity and hydromorphology.

works within OPW drained channels and to monitor the impacts of

11 Environmental River Enhancement Programme EREP Deliverables Identify 100km of channel annually for EREP project Draft development plans for each channel identified Supervision of implementation of the agreed works programme Assessment of At Risk Catchments Scientific monitoring of the impacts of such works on the river corridor biodiversity and hydromorphology Audits of OPW machines

implementation of the agreed works programme Assessment of At Risk Catchments Scientific

12 River Enhancement aspect is achieved through Capital Works Programme Enhanced Maintenance Programme

13 Capital River Enhancement This side of the project deals with river enhancement, where a channel is developed, at cost, to enhance its fishery potential.

14 The majority of these channels should have a reasonable gradient and reasonable water quality.

17 Enhanced Maintenance This strand of the project is concerned with rivers scheduled for OPW channel maintenance. Enhancement works carried out on these channels are also to improve its fishery potential and its river corridor biodiversity Though in general works carried out under enhanced maintenance will only use materials available on-site.

Enhancement works carried out on these channels are also to improve its fishery

18 Enhanced Maintenance which is the implementation of environmentally friendly drainage maintenance Pre- maintenance Post maintenance

19 Post maintenance

20 EREP project is driven largely by WFD, in that OPW have taken a proactive step in addressing the hydromorphology failings of rivers due to OPW drainage in the past However other River Enhancement programmes are usually undertaken because the river was identified as requiring remediation works to improve fish stocks and are not EU Directives driven. These projects though do have to work within the framework of all the various legislation

are usually undertaken because the river was identified as requiring remediation works to improve fish stocks

21 At Risk Water Bodies within OPW Drainage Schemes

22 EREP Project will, assess water bodies with no current ecological status assess potential for river enhancement works within water bodies that are currently failing good ecological status if failing due to water quality it will be excluded from EREP for capital works Water bodies with a current ecological status of below moderate are unlikely to be selected for EREP capital works regardless of water quality

23 Work of EREP addresses certain elements of; WFD - mainly through hydromorphology element channelisation impoundments embankments lesser extent with biological and physical-chemical elements Habitats Directive through restoration of natural habitats of certain species on HD, eg salmon, lamprey and crayfish Eels Regulations making it easier for eels to migrate through rivers, with the removal or modifications of artificial barriers and weirs

24 General Approach to River Restoration / Enhancement in Ireland Identify problem areas If instream development works required then river must meet criteria of suitable channel gradient and reasonable water quality Make sure no issues with landowners, OPW, NPWS (protected areas), etc Draw up enhancement plans Secure funding Implement works

25 EREP Approach to River Enhancement Much similar Though EREP links its target areas more closely with WFD and water body status Identify problem areas If instream development works required then river must meet criteria of suitable channel gradient and reasonable water quality Make sure no issues with landowners, NPWS (protected areas), etc Draw up enhancement plans Implement works Carry out scientific monitoring

26 River Restoration Local small scale IFI projects Local Authority sponsored projects Salmon Conservation Stamp Fund Local Angling Initiatives Leader Funding Environmental River Enhancement Programme (EREP) Inland Fisheries Ireland WFD Habitats Directive Eels Regulations Floods Directive

27 THANK YOU

Delivering multiple benefits through effective river restoration UK & EU

Martin Janes Managing Director The River Restoration Centre Delivering multiple benefits through effective river restoration UK & EU CIEEM Annual Conference Southampton 2013 rrc@therrc.co.uk 01234 752979