Pleas for action on Shannon flooding

HUNDREDS of farmers in the Shannon Callows are again facing into serious flood difficulties after the bad summer weather that has led to very high water levels in the Suck and Shannon rivers.

The flood difficulties have led to further calls from farm representatives for what they described as ‘common sense’ alleviation measures that could play a major role in improving the situation along the banks of the Suck and the Shannon.

Connacht IFA Regional Chairman, Tom Turley, told the Farming Tribune that basic maintenance measures such as regularly cleaning the silt and debris build-ups on critical points along the water channels would make a huge difference.

“The second key change that could be made, without costing a cent in investment, would be a significant lowering of the water levels in Lough Ree, giving it the capacity to absorb any extra flood waters building up in that critical period for farmers between March and November,” said Tom Turley.

He warned that the problem with water level and channel maintenance issues along the Shannon and Suck basins was the lack of a single authority with the powers to make key decisions on water levels and restoration works.

“We are not for one moment on about ‘draining the Shannon’ but what we are about are regular restoration works to prevent the clogging up of the channel in key points along the river. This is not rocket science – it is similar to the type of cleaning that farmers carry out every year on their drains,” said Tom Turley.

He said that over the coming weeks and months, the IFA would be involved with a series of meetings with representatives from the ESB, the OPW, Waterways Ireland and Minister Simon Harris to try and ‘move on’ some of the key issues relating to flooding in the Shannon Callows.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.