Annual Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2007

Chapter 3
Managing and Maintaining the Waterways
In 2007 Waterways Ireland completed an Article 6 Assessment for a three-year strategy
for maintenance activities on the River Barrow in consultation with the National Parks
and Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Southern Regional Fisheries Board and the Central
Fisheries Board. This included field trials to assess the potential impact of the works
on the protected fish species Lamprey and an aquatic plant survey to assess impacts on
protected habitat consisting of floating river vegetation.
Spot dredging continued on the Grand Canal following testing to ensure the spoil could
be reused on site, in line with Waterways Ireland’s commitment to the sustainable reuse
of natural resources which prevents the unnecessary use of landfills. In ongoing efforts
to ensure the conservation of biodiversity in the canals, Waterways Ireland transplanted
specimens of Groenlandia densa (a rare and protected aquatic plant) to the Botanic
Gardens in agreement with NPWS. Waterways Ireland is also co-funding an assessment
of Myxas glutinosa a rare species of snail found on the Grand Canal to assess potential
mitigation measures to ensure its conservation.
On the Erne System environmental scoping exercises were completed for replacement
moorings at Geaglum in Upper Lough Erne, which also required an Article 6 Assessment,
and at the Round O in Enniskillen.
To facilitate the conservation and management of the waterways as resources of
regional and international heritage significance, Waterways Ireland commenced the
development of inventories of heritage structures in 2007 along the Shannon-Erne
Waterway, the Royal Canal, the Grand Canal and the River Barrow. These inventories
include architectural, engineering and industrial heritage and were conducted to
ensure that all heritage requirements are incorporated into the design, construction
and maintenance phases of Waterways Ireland’s projects. They will also facilitate an
assessment of conservation requirements to ensure the waterways’ distinctive heritage
values are conserved and to safeguard their potential for future use and development.
Waterways Ireland also commissioned an underwater archaeological survey of the weir
in Killaloe on the Shannon Navigation and a terrestrial geophysical survey at a site in
Monasterevin on the Grand Canal Barrow Line in the interests of conserving heritage. In
addition a significant number of heritage documents were transferred in 2007 from the
old workhouse stores in Portumna to new modern storage facilities nearby to facilitate
their conservation.
In recognition of the need to address potential future climate change, the Mechanical
Section of Waterways Ireland has been proactively attempting to mitigate Greenhouse
Gas emissions. All weed cutting boats and harvesters purchased in recent years have
been designed and constructed with closed engine and hydraulic oil cooling systems.
Similarly, the vessels utilise biodegradable hydraulic oil in their transmission/propulsion
systems. Both of these innovations help to significantly reduce the likelihood, severity
and environmental impact of engine and hydraulic fluid leakage. Also, as part of the
ongoing monitoring of the carbon footprint of the Waterways Ireland vehicle fleet,
several initiatives have been taken to reduce emissions. These include the replacement
of six lock keepers vans with vehicles which have diesel engines which produce lower
CO 2 emissions and have improved fuel consumption.
20
Waterways Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2007