94-2238-erm-annex
Dieses Dokument ist Teil der Anfrage „Infringement proceedings 1990-1994“
European Commission, DG Environment Verification of Vulnerable Zones Identified under the Nitrates Directive and Sensitive Areas Identified under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive IRELAND Environmental Resources Management. 6 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, land Ire Telephone 00 353 1 662 0499 Fax 00 353 1 676 9502 Email post@ermuk.com http;//www.ermuk.com il
iB FINAL REPORT European Commission, DG Environment Verification of Vulnerable Zones Identified under the Nitrates Directive and Sensitive Areas Identified under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive March 2000 Reference 5765 For and on behalf of Environmental Resources Managgment This report has been prepared by Environmental Resources the trading name of Environmental Resources Management Limited, with all reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the client, Incorporating our General Terms and Conditions of Business and taking account of the resources devoted to it by agreement with the client. We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. This report is confidential to the client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known. Any such party relies on the report at their own risk. In line with our company environmental policy we purchase paper for our documents only from ISO 14001 certified or EMAS verified manufacturers. This includes paper with the Nordic Environmental Label.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION This Final Report details the Preliminary findings of a Project carried out on behalf of the European Commission - DG Environment entitled: Verification of the Vulnerable Zones Identified Under the Nitrates Directive and Sensitive Areas Identified Under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive Contract B4-3040/98/ 000705/MAR/D1 This report presents the results of the investigations carried out in Ireland. The results of the investigations are summarised below. This study evaluates the extent to which the two Directives have been implemented in Ireland, particularly in terms of the designation of vulnerable zones and sensitive areas. The methodological approach used in this study involved separate analyses of surface waters, groundwaters and marine/coastal waters. The report identifies a list of areas which it considers should have been designated as vulnerable zones or sensitive areas at the time of implementation of the Directives. EXISTING SENSITIVE AREAS AND VULNERABLE ZONES IN IRELAND In 1994, the Irish Government designated six rivers and four lakes (Table 3.4) as sensitive areas according to the requirements of Directive 91/271. Around the same time, an assessment was undertaken in relation to Directive 91/676 on nitrates and its application to Ireland, The Irish Government felt, on completion of this assessment, that there was no evidence to suggest that any areas in Ireland should be designated as vulnerable zones and therefore no designations were made in accordance with the Directive. ADDITIONAL WATER BODIEs WARRANTING SENSITIVE AREA DESIGNATION UNDER DIRECTIVE 91/271 In 1994, Directive 91/271 was transposed into Irish law under Statutory Instrument No. 419 of 1994, the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Urban Waste Water Treatment) Regulations 1994, by the Minister for the Environment in exercise of the Powers conferred on him by Section 59 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (No. 7 of 1992). Under this Statutory Instrument, the Irish Government designated six rivers and four lakes (Table ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT i EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENVIRONMENT. . I
3.4) as sensitive areas according to the requirements of the Directive. This
verification study provides information highlighting that a further six rivers
and three lakes warranted sensitive area designations under Directive 912271.
Table 1.1 Additional Rivers/streams Warranting Sensitive Area Designation under
Directive 91/271
Region Hydrometric Area number River Agglomeration (>10,000 pe)
and name
Eastern 6. Newry-Fane-Glyde-Dee Proules Carrickmacross
9. Liffey-Dublin Bay Dodder Dublin City/South Dublin
region
Tolka North County Dublin/ Fingal
Area
36. Erne Cavan Cavan town
Shannon 25. Lower Shannon Brosna Mullingar
North-
Western 3. Bann (Ulster) Blackwater Monaghan
Table 1.2 Additional Lakes Warranting Sensitive Area Designation under Directive
91271
N an, ke LG Agglomeraion PRO
en te Yarcs
Lough Muckno Castleblaney (nth)
Lough Monalty Carrickmacross
Westmeath Lough Ennell Mullingar
All of these sensitive area locations are illustrated on a map of Ireland in
Annex F.
Monaghan
WATER BODIEs WARRANTING VULNERABLE ZONE DESIGNATION UNDER
DIRECTIVE 91/676
Introduction
Regarding the investigation of vulnerable zone designations under Directive
91/676, assessment of sites was hampered by the deficiency in the early 1990s
of catchment nutrient budgets that break down the anthropogenic component
into its agricultural and other sources. In recent correspondence with the
Commission (November 1999), the Irish Government has indicated that with
measures for implementing this aspect of the Directive have been under way
for some time. To date, waters in several counties have been identified under
the terms of Article 3.1 of the Directive. However, it is expected to take a
number of months before a definitive list has been conclusively established,
Rivers and Lakes
In assessing the candidacy of surface waters for designation, nitrate levels of
monitored rivers and lakes were examined together with land use in the area.
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Table 1.3
Table 1.4
In Ireland, the relatively low usage of artificial nitrogenous fertilisers on a
national basis and the large Proportion of agricultural land given over to grass
production lessen the likelihood of widespread contamination with nitrate.
However, in certain areas of the country, eg the south-east, where there is a
greater proportion of the land under tillage, the possibility of excess nitrate
loadings on surface waters and groundwaters is increased.
On the basis of the available data, the catchments (or part of it) of the
following rivers and lakes were identified as requiring designation under
Directive 91/676.
Rivers/streams Warranting Vulnerable Zone Designation under Directive
91/676 A
„— ‚Hydrometric Area
gene Eger we er it
Land Use in the
jeval:;., Region. | "i:.....
nfeckin 155 Significant tillage
ee
6. Newry-Fane- Termo;
Glyde-Dee with some dairy
8. Nanny-Delvin Broadmeadow 11.7 Extensive tillage
South-Eastern 14. Barrow Aghalona _ 11.7 Tillage and
tillage/dairy
- 16. Suir Moyle 125 Tillage/ and dairy
Lakes Warranting Vulnerable Zone Designation under Directive 91/676
-+%. ‘ Main agricultural practice in the area
Tillage/Dairy
Tillage
Groundwaters
Regarding groundwaters, the only monitoring that took place prior to 1999
was the analysis of groundwater intended for the abstraction of drinking
water. Thus the drinking water returns for 1993 were examined for the
purposes of this study. All supplies exceeding the mandatory limit of 50
mg/l nitrates were selected initially. Further investigation allowed the land
use in the area to be determined. On the basis of this data, 25 water bodies
were identified as requiring designation under Directive 91/676. Table 1.5
below lists those water bodies.
Further investigation of the agricultural Practices of the selected areas shows
tillage to be a common practice, with the exception of Limerick and
Monaghan. However, it is felt that all of the above sites exhibit characteristics
which warrant designation of these areas as vulnerable zones under Directive
91/676.
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Table 1.5 Groundwaters Warranting Vulnerable Zone Designation under Directive 91/676 County Location withinthe Exceedances Land use in the area county Carlow Country Ballinkillen <Sömg/l Tillage; Tillage/ dairy. Council *Nurney <55mg/l Tillage; tillage/dairy and sheep "Aughbeg <65mg/l farming constitute agricultural "Newtown <65mg/l practices of the county **Ballyloo >75mg/l "Cork County Council “*Gienworh —ömg/| "Tillage/dairy and day [Northern Area] <75mg/l *Downing Bridge <75mg/l Tillage and tillage/dairy “Cork County Council **Ballinagree 55mg/l Ägricultural prachcesinte [Southern Area] county almost entirely tillage and tillage/dairy Ballinspittle Old <Ssmg/l Tillage/dairy Robert’s Cove <55mg/l Tillage and tillage/dairy Minane Bridge <65mg/l Tillage and tillage/dairy >T75mg/l Stoneview [Blarney] <65mg/l Tillage/ dairy Kildare County Athy Uran Ei Tillage and Hllage/dairy Council Castlemitchel <S5mg/l Tillage and tillage/dairy Housing *Kilberry GW <S5smg/l Tillage and beef a a nn ass n lage” EEE Council "Touth County "Grangebellew GWS Sim Tg “ Council <75mg/l *Sheepgrange GWS <55mg/l Tillage and dairy . Tuliyallen GWS <65mg/l Tillage Te sn an ae Baiey EEE Council mnnannnannnn nun nn urn nun nennen nn - "Meat County AshboumePump >75mg/l Tillageand beef Council mannnnn nun nnn nun nun nennen nenn nenne nennen nennen “Monaghan County "Cat 0 S7ömg/| Agricultural practices ofthe Council county comprise mostly dairy and ee sung "Öffely County “Waishislandx? <5bmg/l Agricultural practices ofthe Council county comprise primarily beef with some tillage/dairy "Waterford County Grange-Baliybrussa >75mg/| Tillage/diy Council <75mg/l "WicklowCouny amdamg <öömg/i Tillageand tillage/ dairy Council * Where precise locations could not be ascertained, the land use of the approximate area is described. "* Where even approximate location could not be ascertained, land use in the relevant county is described. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENVIRONMENT.
