We received funding through the Community Water fund to carry out a habitat management plan for this important tributary of the River Moy. It has suffered over the years and now a group of like minded people have come together to look at environmental solutions aimed at restoring trout and salmon habitat. The report has being presented in such a way that all actions are graded and locations are shown in order. This will allow our group to prioritise actions and also carry out works in a sensitive and structured manner.Please click on the link and read.Hopefully if you have an interest in a project of your own,this will inspire you.
The River Pollagh Restoration group recently finished the first phase of their river restoration works . This involved removing plastic from a one and a half kilometer stretch of the river.This section was heavily polluted with silage wrap and after 3 long evenings work the group finally reached the next bridge. They used kayaks and a canadian canoe to move all the plastic downstream and all visible plastic was removed from the riverbank and riverbed.
They now plan to allow the migrating salmon spawn and recommence their work next Spring/Summer. Mayo county council arranged to collect the plastic and images here show the amount and scale of the issue that existed.
I represent the River Moy Trust who would like to protect and enhance water quality in the Moy Catchment Area. We work with communities at solving identified issues or pressures on water quality
Observations:
Community Reedbeds to reduce the pressure of waste water management
I would like to see the council take a proactive step in relation to the pressure of waste water management on the River Moy. All wastewater that enters a water course ends up in Killala Bay .The River Moy is generally accepted as one of our most precious natural assets.We have a responsiblity to protect and enhance it. I am aware of the remit that Irish Water has in relation to the treatment of our sewage treatment plants and feel that we as Mayo people and separate communities to improve the quality of the thing that connects us all ,our rivers.
I propose that Mayo County Council participate with the River Moy Trust in a feasability study that will aim to create a roadmap aimed at empowering all the towns and villages in Mayo to look towards installing a reed bed system adjacent to their municipal waste treatment plant.
The project itself will demonstrate concrete results in relation to water quality as all existing treatment plants are monitored downstream from the discharge point. Pipes should be designed to take treated waste water to the newly installed reed bed system and then an adjacent pipe should return the reed bed treated water to the existing discharge pipe.
Monitoring done by EPA will demonstrate the science behind the project through results recorded by the EPA monitoring service.
I also propose that a reed bed sytem of considerable size is constructed along the waste water pipe that feeds out of Castlebar to Ballavary. Lands should be purchased immediately to again further treat this wastewater and help improve the status of this lake which is deemed poor.It along with Lough Conn are two of our great western lakes and the unique structure of the lake with its shallow waters lends itself to further proliferation of the pollutant discharge waters.
Main opinion:
Again , a no brainer ,well within the remit of the council to improve water quality and protect and enhance our natural resources. If we are to promote tourism, we need to protect or natural resources
Main requests:
Begin the project and engage with the River Moy Trust to deliver this project for all our communities
Main reasons:
For our future and our childrens future
Unique Reference Number: MYO-C11-70
Submission: Peatland Management strategy
Consultation:
Draft Mayo County Development Plan 2021-2027
Author:River Moy Trust
Date Created: 14.02.2021 – 5:09pm
Status: Submitted
Date Submitted: 14.02.2021 – 5:30pm
Cover Letter
This submisson is on behalf of the River Moy Trust and we aim to protect and enhance water quality in the Moy catchment area .We are an environmental group who would like to work on solving environmental and water quality issues arising in the catchment area
Observations:
MayoCountyCouncilpreservingnaturalheritage and carbon offsetting
Chapter: Volume 1 – Written Statement» 10. Natural Environment
Topic: Bogs
We would like to see Mayo County Council take a proactive step in relation to peatland management. Any bog lands owned by Mayo County Council should be identified by its Climate action department .Appropriate assessments should be carried out on all sites. All sites should be assessed for rewetting and the process commenced. Degrading bogs emit carbon and only by rewetting them, within 30cm of the surface can bogs be rehabilitated and sphagnum moss can spread all over the surface again and start absorbing carbon on behalf of our council. The peat banks stored in the bogs are locked in carbon and these along with the potential sequestration should be promoted as one of the councils steps in fighting climate action.
This process will also have huge benifits in flood management as the Moy valley has numerous peatlands that will help ‘slow the flow’ which is one of the key steps in Flood Management.
Biodiversity will be increased as a result of habitat restoration.
Water quality will increase due to the reduced leaching ofthe oxidised boglands
Mayo county council should also look at facilitating a process whereby turbary rights owners are facilitated towards rehabilitating bogs if they so wish.
Main opinion:
rewet coucil bogs now and facilitate other bogs to be rewet.its a no brainer.AII future planning applications that aim to build on peatland or low lying bog should be made to rewet the bog or peatland as a matter of policy going forward once the ‘Windmill’ or similar had being installed
The Draft Mayo County development plan 2021-2027 is available to read .Please make a difference and have your say .I have submitted two proposals to the council in relation to the use of reed bed systems as a bolt on to existing municipal waste treatment plants and one on the restoration of bogs and the potential for our council to be a major partner in this space and lead the way.Make a difference and have your say here.https://consult.mayo.ie/en or simply read the draft and inform yourself here.https://www.mayo.ie/planning/county-development-plans/2021-2027
Please find a record of the work over the summer.(click on link July to August….)
Turlough River is finally clean and relatively litter free; we were there for 5 hours yeaterday evening. Because I had a pair of snorkels, I was able to see under the water and there is plenty of fish life in that river thankfully. It was very badly littered earlier in the year.
There is one very troublesome area in Ballina regarding repeat littering; that is along both sides of the River Moy that the locals refer to as the ‘Canal’. It is a venue for binge drinking and we have cleaned it four times this year alone, including in both July and August, but found ourselves once again bringing a trailer load of litter away from there again last Saturday prior to a Children’s Angling Competition. Some preventative measures are surely needed for that area.
The national media covered a story this week about littered coasts and inland waterways, and described The River Moy as being ‘moderately littered’. It is definitely becoming more litter free, but there could easily be hundreds of drink cans and bottles entering the river from the “Canal’ area every year.
Please forward to. Friends, Individuals, Organisations, Parents, Relatives with Children for fun/safe once in a lifetime learning experience with Nature.
Wild Pollinators along River Glore
19 August, 3pm – 4pm
BOOKING REQUIRED
Karina Dingerkus, Giorria Environmental Services
Glore Mill, Kiltimagh
Co. Mayo
Come and join us for a walk along the River Glore, and learn a little about our wild Irish Pollinators (bees, butterflies and other insects).
Admission & Booking
Admission Free
to book contact 0863620928 or karina@giorria.com
Impact Mayo Rivers on Mayo
22 August, 12pm – 2pm
Glore Mill Centre For Sustainable Biodiversity, Energy, Living, & Inland Fisheries Ireland
Glore Mill Centre for Sustainable Biodiversity, Energy, Living
Co. Mayo
Talk/Walk Impact Mayo Rivers and Nature have on how, where, we live, work and play in Mayo. Health of Nature determines.defines Human Health on how we live, work and play. As Nature is we Are.
Talk/Walk demonstrating how Mayo Rivers and Nature determine how, where, we live work and play. How health of Nature defines/determines our health. Our health and health of nature are one and same. Presented by Declan Cooke of Inland Fisheries Ireland. Protecting/Saving Biodiversity of land, water, plants, animals is protecting/saving ourselves.
Why nature is good for you
25 August, 8pm – 11:30pm
BOOKING REQUIRED
Glore mill Centre for Sustainability
Glore Mill Sustainability Centre, Kiltimagh
Co. Mayo
Join Caitriona Carlin, NEAR Health, NUI Galway who will talk about how nature can benefit health and wellbeing. She will lead a walk along the Glore River to see or hear bats in flight.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Dress for the weather. This walk is in conjunction with Galway Bat Group.
Ward Agricultutal Consultants and the ACA are holding a Knowlege Transfer National event on the 27th July in Ballylahan, Straide.
A National Event is where a Agricultural Consultants hold an open farm evening, trying to promote a better understanding of a particular subject. In this case Ward Agricultutal Consultants and the ACA are pushing for a better understanding of soil and how it works, its microbiology, compaction and how to improve both.
We are expecting over 100 local farmers to turn up on the night.
