Newlands Cross Upgrade EIS - European Investment Bank

South Dublin County Council N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade
Environmental Impact Statement
6. SOILS, GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY
6.1 Introduction
This section describes the natural characteristics of the site of the proposed development and
its immediate surroundings, in terms of bedrock geology, geomorphology, drift geology and
hydrogeology.
Arup Consulting Engineers
An assessment is made of the likely impacts of the proposed development on these resources
and where required, mitigating measures are put forward to reduce or negate the impact of the
proposed development.
6.2 Methodology
In determining the impact of the proposed development on the prevailing geological and
groundwater conditions a number of documents and sources were referred to. A specific
ground investigation was undertaken for the proposed development which provides much of
the information.
As no formal methodology for assessing the extent and degree of impact that the development
may have on the geological and groundwater aspects of the environment exists, an approach
has been adopted, based on the document produced by the Institute of Geologists of Ireland,
“Geology in Environmental Impact Statements – a Guide”, September 2002 1 . This document
outlines the likely impacts and potential mitigation measures for geological issues by topic,
although no significance criteria are given by which the impact can be rated.
The ‘Guidelines on the information to be contained in Environmental Impact Statements’,
EPA 2002 2 and ‘Advice notes on current practice in the preparation of Environmental Impact
Statements’, EPA 2003 3 , were also referred to.
No significant assumptions were made during the assessment. The description of existing
conditions was based on desk study information and ground investigation data from the
general area, as outlined below.
6.2.1 Sources of Information
The existing conditions within the area of the proposed development have been interpreted
from both desk study information and ground investigation data. The main sources of
information for the study are outlined as follows:
• Archival reports on site investigations carried out in the vicinity of the site.
• Environmental Protection Agency database 4
• Geological Survey of Ireland; National Draft Bedrock Aquifer map 5
• Geological Survey of Ireland; Groundwater Database 6
• Bedrock Geology 1:100,000 Scale Map Series, Sheet 16, Kildare- Wicklow. Geological
Survey of Ireland. 7
• Geological Survey of Ireland borehole database 8
• Geological Survey of Ireland groundwater database 9
• Geological Survey of Ireland Groundwater Newsletter 10 .
• The Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources; Exploration and
Mining Division website 11 .
December 2007 Page 95