ESManage – understanding how to manage freshwaters and the ecosystem services they provide
Of all the ecosystems on the planet, freshwaters are under the greatest pressure and are likely the most endangered. Human […]
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Archive
Explaining the Catchment Characterisation Outcomes – Finding the Appropriate Words
Over the last few months, Catchment Unit staff have given numerous presentations as part of the catchment characterisation process. While […]
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The Catchment Services Concept – A means of connecting and progressing Water Framework Directive and biodiversity requirements in the context of ‘Sustainable Intensification’ of agriculture, and climate change
Achieving successful management of our water and biodiversity resources in the context of both the Food Harvest 2020 strategy and […]
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Water Framework Directive Guidance on Characterisation Methodology V4.0 – September 2016
The purpose of this report is to describe: the role of characterisation in water resources management in Ireland and the […]
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How chemical monitoring of our rivers can help us understand their story – why, what, where and when.
Why Monitor? Water does not exist in its pure form in the natural environment, it is truly reflective of its surroundings, […]
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Water Quality and Agriculture: Pollution Impact Potential Maps – A tool to guide resources into areas for further investigation
Currently the EPA is evaluating the sources of pollution or pressures (called ‘significant pressures’) causing unsatisfactory water quality as a […]
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What’s living in the Suir, how healthy are our rivers?
The various uses of rivers can involve conflicting interests and often such uses disrupt the ecology or health of the river. […]
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Measuring how the Suir flows, from the mountains to the sea
‘Hydrometrics’ is the measurement of water levels and flow – how can it help us manage the Suir Catchment? The […]
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How healthy is the Suir Catchment?
Do we have the balance right between living and working in, and maintaining a healthy Suir catchment, and if not, what […]
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The Water Framework Directive
The Water Framework Directive was agreed by all individual EU member states in 2000, and its first cycle ran from […]
Read MoreWho is involved? Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies. This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
Local Authority Waters Programme
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,829 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives and measures for each.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures that will be implemented after public consultation and sign off by the Minister.