SEA Environmental Report for the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
on Table 4.1. The WFD status of sections 33 of rivers within the City is classified as moderate (including Shournagh, Owenboy, Martin, Lee and Blarney) and good (including Martin, Glashaboy and Butlerstown). The WFD surface water status (2013-2018) of transitional waterbodies within and surrounding the City is identified as moderate (including Lough Mahon and Lee - Cork Estuary Upper) and good (including Glashaboy Estuary). The WFD surface water status (2013-2018) downstream of Cork City is shown on Figure 4.10. The Outer Cork Harbour (downstream of Cork City) is identified as being of good status, Cork Harbour is identified as being of moderate status, Lower Bandon Estuary (transitional waterbody) is identified as being of poor status and Cuskinny Lake (transitional waterbody) is identified as being of bad status. The bathing water at Fountainstown (downstream of Cork City) is of excellent water quality 34 . Significant pressures, those pressures which need to be addressed in order to improve water quality, have been identified 35 for waterbodies that are ‘At Risk’ of not meeting their water quality objectives under the WFD. Significant pressures for surface water bodies within or adjacent to Cork City are identified on Table 4.1. There are various types of pressures identified, including:
conditions or the natural functioning of a waterbody which can impact on ecology, caused by dredging and straightening of rivers (channelisation), land drainage or hard infrastructure such as dams, weirs, culverts or other obstructions. Anthropogenic pressures can include: water abstractions; invasive species; agriculture; use of fertilizers, manures and pesticides; animal husbandry activities; inefficient irrigation practices; deforestation of woods; aquaculture; pollution due to industrial effluents and domestic sewage; and recreational activities. Industrial pressures - can include discharges and emissions from industrial and commercial facilities.
Agricultural pressures - can include issues related to farming including loss of excess nutrients and sediment loss to surface waters from diffuse sources such as spreading of fertilisers and manures. Excess phosphorous and sediment are typically issues for rivers and lakes, and too much nitrogen is the main issue for estuaries and coastal waters. Urban run-off pressures - can include leaking sewers and run-off from paved and unpaved areas and misconnections where private foul connections are connected to storm sewers instead of the foul sewer network. Urban wastewater pressures - can include direct discharge of nutrients from urban wastewater treatment plants and discharge from combined storm overflows or storm water overflows. Discharges of elevated concentrations of phosphorus, ammonium and nitrogen impact on the ecology of surface waters. Hydromorphological and anthropogenic pressures are identified together in many instances. Hydromorphological pressures can include: modifications to the physical habitat
33 As per EPA classification system (gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps) 34 The EPA Report (2020) Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2019.
35 EPA (2019): Report on Water Quality in Ireland 2013- 2018
CAAS for Cork City Council
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