Management of Erne water levels to be reviewed

Rodney Edwards • Published 5 Aug 2010 16:30 0 Comments

Share this

click to enlarge
Edwin Poots, (right), Environment Minister, reading through the publication of Flooding Taskforce recommendations in Enniskillen Townhall. Also included are from left, Julie Cumings and Keith Jagelman, Taskforce officials; Michelle Gildernew, Rural Development Minister and Arlene Foster, Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister.

A major review into the how the water levels are managed on the Erne system is to be carried out following the worst floods here in living memory.

The Flooding Taskforce set up by the Northern Ireland Executive after the floods in November published their report in Enniskillen yesterday, some six months later than promised.

In the 139-page document they made a number of recommendations, including looking at the management of the Erne System.

They also intend to raise a number of roads in the most affected areas and introduce an awareness programme into dealing with future floods.

A feasibility study will also be conducted to consider options for a "flood alleviation scheme" to "isolate" Derrychara Link in Enniskillen from direct flooding by Lough Erne. Many businesses along the road were badly affected last November.

A programme of work is to also be undertaken to improve the level of protection from flood risk to the Killyhevlin Water Treatment Works.

The report adds that to "significantly increase the capacity of the Erne system" through Enniskillen and Belleek, the channels would require "major works and subsequent loss of land due to channel widening" to a cost of at least £20 million. This is due to extensive areas of rock in the channel.

All organisations involved in the response to and recovery from the flooding in November must also "maintain and further develop" their emergency planning arrangements, says the report. In it, local agencies admitted they didn't always get it right last year.

The PSNI found that the flooding meant there was poor access for 4x4 vehicles, and so their Shogun jeeps were not effective in flood waters.

The Western Education and Libary Board said there was a "disproportionate reliance" upon a small group of officers internally and added how they had "no specific details" of pupils affected during the flooding, such as their names or location.

Northern Ireland Water said it could have had better "initial response mobilisation" to address emergency situation never previously encountered at Killyhevlin Water Treatment Works.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust said they were "unable to use vehicles" or provide "offers of help" because of risks involved.

The Rivers Agency admitted they had an "over reliance" on a small number of local staff while the Road Service said they had "limitations on their own vehicles to work in flood waters" and a "lack of training" for staff on boat handling.

Speaking at a press conference for the report's launch in Enniskillen Townhall yesterday (Wednesday), Environment Minister Edwin Poots said work will be carried out immediately.

"We will be raising those roads to ensure the problems of last year don't occur again. We are also looking at emergency planning and looking how we can better draw in the agencies if this was to happen again. We are going to use this experience to be better prepared next time," he said.

Agricultural Minister Michelle Gildernew said: "Members of the task force have attended a number of meetings and are very pleased that the Executive has approved the recommendations in the report. Work will begin immediately to improve a number of roads which have been earmarked as priority. There are a number of other roads that will be subject to funding. A lot of work will be taking place in Fermanagh over the coming weeks," she said.

Arlene Foster, Enterprise Minister added: "The floods had a huge impact on the whole community. The taskforce was set up to gather evidence about the difficulties experienced at that time. The conclusions are that a flooding event of this nature is extreme and rare but can happen. Work will be carried out very soon and I am pleased about that," she said.

Ulster Farmers' Union Fermanagh Chairman Derek Thornton welcomed yesterday's report.

"Hundreds of farming families were seriously affected by the floods and we have been calling for a determined response which will ensure last November's events, when thousands of acres of farmland were flooded and rural families were cut off, are never repeated. We welcome the fact that the events have been examined in detail and lessons learned. People in rural areas will certainly welcome proposals for a significant road upgrading programme and we are urging the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure the resources are found to fund this," he said.

He added: "The other key issue is ensuring an effective water management regime is in place so that water levels in Upper and Lower Lough Erne and the Erne catchment can be managed effectively during periods of heavy rainfall. The taskforce have recommended that the current Operating Regime is reviewed. This in itself does not resolve this important issue and the UFU will be pressing for the review to take place as soon as possible and even more importantly it must produce effective new procedures on how to manage water levels so that serious flooding incidents can be averted."

The schemes regarded by Roads Service as higher priority are:

B127 New Bridge Road at Share Centre: Quay Pass at Erneside / Derrychara: B533 Wattlebridge Road at Derrykerrib: C436 Inishmore Road: B36 Monaghan Road, Roslea: Derrychara Link Road : The Sillees River (Boho Area): The Rossmacaffry Road. The Finn River (Newtownbutler Area). In 2009 as many as nine sections of public road were under water, causing considerable hardship for the residents. It is proposed to raise a number of the following roads where the greatest inconvenience was experienced.

They include: Cloncallick Road at Farmhill Cloncallick Road at Keelaghy: Carra Road at Clonfad; Teer Road at Teer; Teer Road at Clonrye; Derrykerrib Road near Derrykerrib Bridge; Annies Bridge Road near the bridge; Clonelty Road at Leitrim; Clonkee Road at Cavanagh; Drumboghanagh Road at Drumboghanagh; Drumcrin Road at Clonshannagh.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 05 Aug 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.