Report Cover Vol I - Clare County Library

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The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Canals Canals are artificial linear bodies of water that were originally constructed for the purpose of navigation. They typically lack strong currents and any significant channel or bank erosion. This means that canals tend to have closer affinities with ponds than rivers. They are readily colonised by aquatic plants and frequently support floating, submerged or emergent vegetation. Locks that are used to control water levels are considered as part of the canal habitat. Canals are important habitats for fish, insect and bird life. All canals require management and maintenance to keep them open and operational. Where canals are abandoned they rapidly become choked with aquatic vegetation. Headrace Canal which runs from O'Briensbridge to Ardnacrusha is an example of this habitat type. Drainage ditches These are linear water bodies or wet channels that are entirely artificial in origin, and some sections of natural watercourses that have been excavated or modified to enhance drainage and control the flow of water. Drainage ditches may be intimately associated with a range of other wetland types, including wet grassland, and modified marsh, bog and fen habitats. Drainage ditches are generally not used for navigation and are typically narrower than canals. Drainage ditches either contain water (flowing or stagnant) or are wet enough to support wetland vegetation. Water levels are also likely to undergo seasonal fluctuations. Drainage ditches must be maintained and cleared in order to keep them open. Those that are overgrown with vegetation are likely to be cleared intermittently. Common habitat type throughout County Clare, examples of the habitat can be seen at most wetland sites such as Tullagher Lough Bog. 23
The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Calcareous springs Priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Calcareous spring fens develop around permanent freshwater springs or areas of water seepage that are especially rich in calcium. The upwelling of water is often associated with an interface between permeable and impermeable rock or soil layers. The water supply may be from upwelling groundwater sources, or from seepage sources or sometimes from geo-thermal sources. Petrifying springs may be closely associated with Alkaline fens but with less fluctuations in water. A key requirement is a steady flow of water, though this may dry up for short periods. Springs are often very small features covering no more than some tens of metres. Petrifying springs occur on shallow peaty or skeletal mineral soils. On contact with the atmosphere at the spring head, carbon dioxide is lost from the water or is depleted by photosynthetic activities of plants growing in the spring, which results in the precipitation of a calcium bicarbonate marl or tufa crust. The vegetation in such areas, and especially mosses may be coated in a thick crust of lime. Larger petrifying springs may form tufa cones that constitute a singular habitat. Springs occur in lowland and upland areas, are often very limited in extent and may be associated with a variety of different habitats such as alkaline fen, woodland, heathland, grassland, limestone rich boulder clay or gravel deposits or on exposed rock. Spring vegetation is characterized by an abundant or dominant moss cover and may or may not be peat-forming. Calcareous spring fens are rare in Ireland. As calcareous spring sites are often small in extent they are threatened by a range of land reclamation, turf cutting, and drainage activities, which can rapidly degrade their structure and function. Damage to this habitat type is likely to have increased in severity since the 1990’s due to these activities, which adversely impact on these small scale habitats. Examples of this habitat can be seen throughout much of the karst landscape of the Burren, often in association with fens or turloughs. An example is Fahee Spring found at Carran (Fahee) Turlough. 24
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Fossitt Classification Level Fossit
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Fossitt Classification Level Fossit
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Appendix 8. The County Clare Wetlan
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Report Cover Vol I - Clare County Library

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