City flood risk sourced back to land reclamation

The reclamation of large chunks of land from the sea along the Salthill coastline during the last century has been identified as a contributing factor to ongoing flood risk in this area, according to the new City Development Draft Plan.

“There is substantial evidence from historical OSi maps [ordnance survey] that reclamation of lands from the sea occurred in Salthill during the last century.

“White Strand, Toft Park, Galway Atlantaquarium and car park are all located on reclaimed land . . . while the city is also vulnerable to wave overtopping,” the 2017-2023 City Plan outlines.

Under a chapter dealing with ‘Strategic Flood Risk Assessment’, the report points out that the city has a coastline of approximately 13.5km [8.4 miles], stretching from Silverstrand in the west to Roscam Point in the East.

“The key areas of flood risk within the city are properties along the Salthill Promenade, the Claddagh Basin, and Nimmo’s Pier and the Harbour.

“The area around the Claddagh Basin and the Docklands are also influenced by the River Corrib which discharges into Galway Bay.

“Significant and relatively frequent flooding occurs at Spanish Arch and Flood Street. The properties that encompass Lough Atalia are also an area of potential risk,” the City Plan states.

However, the plan warns against any objective of constructing flood defences with the intention of releasing green field land for development.

“Residual risk is the risk that remains after measures to control flood risk have been carried out. Residual risk can arise from overtopping of flood defences and/or from the breach/structural failure of the defences,” the plan warns.

It also points to ‘The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities [2009]’, that highlights the problem of overtopping of flood defences.

That report warns that overtopping [the sea coming in over any barriers] means that flooding must still remain a risk, even in areas behind where flood defences have already been constructed.

They also warn that due to the impact of climate change and global warming, the overtopping impact of the sea will be more likely to occur over the coming years.

“Where flood defences are breached, it will usually result in sudden flooding with little or no warning and will present a significant hazard and danger to life,” the Draft Plan states.