Attachment-7-1-3-2- Receiving Environment Report · opportunities. The waterbody is a natural...

Attachment-7-1-3-2- Receiving Environment Report

INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS LICENCE APPLICATION

Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited and TINE IRELAND LTD

Mogeely, Co. Cork

APPLICATION ID: LA003608

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Attachment-7-1-3-2-Receiving Environment

Industrial Emissions Licence Application

Contents 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1

2 EMISSIONS TO SEWER ........................................................................................................................ 1

2.1 Treated Process Wastewater Discharges ................................................................................... 1

2.2 Receiving Environment .............................................................................................................. 1

2.2.1 North Channel Great Island Waterbody ............................................................................ 1

Nutrient Sensitive Area .......................................................................................................................... 3

2.2.2 Hydrological Environment along the proposed discharge pipeline route ......................... 5

3 EMISSIONS TO AIR .............................................................................................................................. 7

3.1 Sources of Emissions to Air from the DFI Facility....................................................................... 7


3.2.1 Local Sources of Emissions to Air ....................................................................................... 7

3.2.2 Ambient Air Quality ............................................................................................................ 8

3.2.3 Odours ................................................................................................................................ 8

4 NOISE EMISSIONS............................................................................................................................... 9

4.1 Sources of Noise Emissions from the DFI Facility ...................................................................... 9


4.2.1 Characteristics of the Existing Noise Environment ............................................................ 9

4.2.2 Noise Sensitive Locations ................................................................................................... 9

5 GROUNDWATER ABSTRACTION ......................................................................................................... 9

5.1 Groundwater Body & Status ...................................................................................................... 9

5.2 Aquifer classification ................................................................................................................ 10

5.2.1 Vulnerability assessment ................................................................................................. 10

5.2.2 Quality of Groundwater underlying the site .................................................................... 10

5.3 Site Ground Conditions ............................................................................................................ 12

6 LANDSPREADING .............................................................................................................................. 14

7 STORMWATER DISCHARGES ............................................................................................................ 14

7.1 Stormwater Discharges ............................................................................................................ 14

7.2 Receiving Environment ............................................................................................................ 14

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1 INTRODUCTION This report provides a description of the state of the receiving environment into which emissions or

discharges will occur from the activities undertaken at the Dairygold Food Ingredients (DFI) and TINE

Ireland Ltd. (TINE) speciality cheese manufacturing facilities at Mogeely, Co. Cork. The purpose of this

report is to provide a description of the current state of the environment for the relevant

thematic/media.

This report should be read in conjunction with relevant thematic chapters of the Environmental

Impact Statement that accompanies this application. The environmental thematic/media applicable to

the installation as listed in Attachment 7.1 Emissions Overview are as follows:

Emissions to sewer;

Emissions to air;

Noise emissions;

Groundwater abstraction;

Landspreading;

Stormwater discharges.

2 EMISSIONS TO SEWER There are currently no emissions to sewer from the existing DFI facility. The following provides details

on future proposed emissions to sewer for the new facility.

2.1 Treated Process Wastewater Discharges

It is being proposed that treated process wastewater emissions from the on-site DFI WWTP will

discharge to sewer via a new circa 14 km sewer pipeline connection into the existing Midleton

agglomeration Main Drainage outfall at Rathcoursey. It is proposed that this treated wastewater will

discharge without any further treatment off-site into the North Channel Great Island receiving

waterbody.

2.2 Receiving Environment

2.2.1 North Channel Great Island Waterbody

The North Channel Great Island (waterbody code IE_SW_060_0300) is a transitional waterbody

located approximately 10.5 km southwest of Mogeely village. The North Channel Great Island

waterbody covers an area of approximately 7.96 km2 and is an integral part of Cork Harbour coastal

water body (IE_SW_060_0000). The main land use within the waterbody is aquaculture and fishing.

The status and objectives under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for the North Channel Great

Island waterbody set out below in Table 2.1.

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Table 2-1 Status and Objectives for Waterbodies relevant to the proposed development

Water Body Code Waterbody

Type

Name Status Risk Objective

IE_SW_060_0300 Transitional North Channel

Great Island

Moderate At risk of not achieving good

status

Restore 2021

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

The North Channel Great Island is a designated Special Area of Conservation up to the point where the

Ballynacorra River enters the channel between the Great Island and Rathcoursey. This site’s

conservation value derives largely from the presence of a number of important habitats listed in

Annex I of the European Union Habitats Directive.

Special Protection Areas (SPA)

The North Channel Great Island is a designated Special Protection Area up to the point where the

Ballynacorra River enters the channel between the Great Island and Rathcoursey. The North Channel

Great Island is an integral part of Cork Harbour which is also a wetland of international importance for

the birdlife it supports.

Natural Heritage Areas (NHA)

The North Channel Great Island is a designated National Heritage Area Special Protection Area up to

the point where the Ballynacorra River enters the channel between the Great Island and Rathcoursey.

Bathing Water Directive

There are no designated bathing areas within or in proximity to the North Channel Great Island.

EU Shellfish Waters Directive

Part of the North Channel Great Island has been designated as a shellfish water. Rostellan (North,

South and West) shellfish waters are also located approximately 3 km from the discharge at

Rathcoursey. The European Communities (Quality of Shellfish Water) Regulations 2006 (SI No 268 of

2006) set Standard/Value for physical, chemical and microbiological requirements that designated

shellfish waters must either comply with or endeavour to improve.

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Figure 2.1 Designated Shellfish Waters

Designated Shellfish Water

Nutrient Sensitive Area

The North Channel Great Island is designated a nutrient sensitive area under the UWW regulations.

Urban Waste Water is one of the principal pressures on water quality in Ireland and must be treated

prior to being released back into the environment in order to remove contaminations that could

otherwise pose a risk to the environment or public health. The Urban Waste Water Treatment

Directive requires effluent discharged from all large urban areas to comply with the following quality

standards.

Parameter Limit

BOD 25 mg/l

COD 125 mg/l

Suspended Solids 35 mg/l

Total Phosphorus 2 mg/l

Total Nitrogen 15 mg/l

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Figure 2.2 Nutrient Sensitive Waters

Nutrient Sensitive Waters

Amenity uses

North Island Great Channel into which the proposed treated effluent from the facility will discharge is

a significant natural amenity. This waterbody contains areas that have been designated at European

and National level. These designations are primarily based on the conservation value of particular

habitats and the species of flora and fauna contained within them.

The North Island Great Channel is not only a resource in terms of ecology, a fact highlighted by its

ecological designations but is also a major asset that offers both recreational and economic

opportunities. The waterbody is a natural feature and is important as a natural recreational resource

used by anglers and boating clubs. Parts of waterbody are a valued resource to the aquaculture

industry and have shellfish designations supporting oyster beds.

Water Quality

The background coastal water quality for the outfall area was derived from EPA monitoring data

(2007-2014). The EPA sampling locations are shown in Figure 2.3 with summary data presented in

Table 2.2.

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Table 2-2 Median coastal background water quality data (no SS data available)

Figure 2.3 EPA Sampling Stations

2.2.2 Hydrological Environment along the proposed discharge pipeline route

The proposed discharge pipeline route will travel north from the WWTP along the eastern side of the

River Kiltha within the Dairygold premises and will cross the River Kiltha north of the Dairygold Cheese

making facility on the south side of the L3627. (Refer to WC1 on Figure 2.4)

The proposed pipeline route crosses the Harrisgrove stream at the junction of the L3627 and the N25

roads. (Refer to WC2 on Figure 2.3). Lough Aderry located 2 km west of Castlemartyr is the source of

the Harrisgrove Stream, which flows west-northwest towards Midleton, where it joins the Dungourney

River, which in turn joins the Owencurra River and flows into the North Channel Great Island.

The pipeline route crosses the Dower River at two locations on the L3630 local road (Refer to WC3 and

WC4 on Figure 2.4). The Dower River flows in a northeasterly direction where it combines with the

River Kiltha and in turn joins the Womanagh River west of Ladysbrigde.

The pipeline route crosses the Loughatalia Stream at the intersection of the L3629 and the R630 (Refer

to WC5 on Figure 2.4). The Loughatalia Stream appears to originate approximately 500 m south of the

L3629/R630 intersection and flows north into the North Channel Great Island.

LE530

LE540 LE450

LE550

OUTFALL

LE340

LE610

LE810

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Figure 2.4 Watercourse Crossings along Proposed Discharge Pipeline

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3 EMISSIONS TO AIR

3.1 Sources of Emissions to Air from the Installation

Principal point source emissions to the atmosphere from the installation at Mogeely will originate from the on-site boilers. There are 2 hot-water boilers (Boiler No.1 and Boiler No. 2) fuelled by natural gas at the DFI facility.

The generating capacity of Boiler No 1 is 6.5 MW and 7.5 MW for Boiler No 2. Only one boiler is

required to provide sufficient quantities of hot-water for the cheese manufacturing process, with the

other in standby mode. Emissions from the boiler that is on load are exhausted to atmosphere from a

15m stack (A1-1). It is proposed to install a separate 15 m stack for the stand-by boiler.

A small steam boiler with a maximum rating of 0.2 MW, with a steam generating capacity of 320 kg/h, is also used for heating cream in the cheese production process. A 1 MW gas fuelled boiler is also proposed for the new TINE cheese production facility. Other than the boilers, there will be no other main emission points to the atmosphere. Minor emissions from other plant (compressors, refrigeration plant, tanks, air handling units etc) will be emitted through vents and ducts. Potential emissions to the atmosphere include 3 no. emergency diesel generators.


3.2.1 Local Sources of Emissions to Air

The installation is located at the small village of Mogeely, which is approximately 2 km north of

Castlemartyr, with farming the main land-use within the area. The density of housing in the

surrounding area is very low. The nearest house is about 55 m from the installation with other houses

along the Mogeely to Castlemartyr road 180 m to NE and 220 m to SE. Further south there is a small

number of houses 480 m to the SE.

There is a Dairygold Agri-business grain handling facility adjacent to the northern boundary of the site

with pasture and arable lands to the south and west. This business operates mainly on a seasonal basis

with bulk cereal delivered by truck, cleaned, dried and stored in bulk silos. The drying process uses 4

hot-air blowers for direct heating of the grain in vertical dryers. The air heaters burn natural gas and

operate from July to October. Emissions of NOx from the dryer heaters will be minor. The main air

emissions from this activity are particulates, including PM10, from fugitive emissions, where the bulk

grain is unloaded in the yard and from minor emissions from the dryer exhausts that are located on

top of the vertical dryer units. Dust abatement with high efficiency cyclones removes particulates in

the exhaust air from the grain dryers. The grain is stored in the open with stockpiles extending to the

boundary wall and so there can be substantial fugitive dust emissions from the main yard, especially

during the peak production period.

Principal sources of NOx emissions in the locality are from the existing DFI boiler stacks along with

minor contribution from local traffic exhausts and from domestic boilers. Emissions of SO2 originate

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from burning solid fuel or oil in boilers and so will be very low in the area due to the very low density

of housing and absence of any other significant industrial activities in the area. Airborne particulates

originate from a wide range of sources including the movement of vehicles within the internal roads

and car-park of the existing DFI facility. However, these are likely to be localised and small compared

to the numerous other sources of PM10 in the surrounding area, such as operation of farm machinery,

cultivation of fields and resuspension of silt on roads as well as natural sources including soil, wind-

blow pollen and spores. These miscellaneous sources contribute to background PM10 concentrations

observed in rural areas throughout Ireland.

3.2.2 Ambient Air Quality

There is no ambient monitoring available near Mogeely to provide information on existing air quality

in this part of Co. Cork. Legislation on Air Quality require Member States to divide their country into 4

zones (A-D), for the purpose of air quality monitoring, reporting, assessment and management.

Outside of the Dublin and Conurbation and towns with populations greater than 15,000 the remainder

of the country is within Zone D. Mogeely village is within the Zone D (small town/rural) air quality

zone classification. The air quality in the Mogeely area is assumed good with concentrations of NOx,

SO2, PM10 and other minor pollutants well below the NAQS values (Table 3.1).

Table 3-1 Air Quality in Zone D (non-urban) Regions of Ireland in 2014 (μg/m3)

Pollutant Annual average concentration

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) 4

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 3

PM10 9-22

Source: Air Quality in Ireland 2014, EPA 2015

3.2.3 Odours

The main potential sources of nuisance odour emissions in the area are identified as likely to be

associated with agricultural activities, the Dairygold WWTP, and the local authority WWTP.

Statutory Authorities have received a number of complaints from local residents of existing odour

nuisance in the area. The complaints received inferred that the source of the odour pollution was from

the nearby WWTPs.

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4 NOISE EMISSIONS

4.1 Sources of Noise Emissions from the DFI Facility

The main sources of noise generated in the existing DFI processing facility are air compressors, pumps,

refrigeration units, and on-site traffic.


4.2.1 Characteristics of the Existing Noise Environment

The existing land use in the proximity of the site is a combination of agricultural, residential and

industry. The main sources of noise include the existing Dairygold agribusiness grain handling facility,

the DFI cheese manufacturing facility and traffic on the local road networks.

The two industrial facilities including DFI and Dairygold Agribusiness grain handling facility when in

operation dominate the noise environment, especially in summer when both are in full production.

The noise environment at any one time can vary significantly depending on the amount production

going on at either facility, which is related to the time of year and indeed time of day. It must be noted

that both facilities have been in operation at Mogeely for several decades and have preceded many of

the newer residential developments.

4.2.2 Noise Sensitive Locations

There are several residential properties in the area including one-off houses along the local roads and

a recently developed housing estate directly east of the site. Mogeely village is approximately 1 km

north of the site.

5 GROUNDWATER ABSTRACTION The installations process water requirement will be supplied from the underlying groundwater body

by 1 No. deep bore well (GW1).

5.1 Groundwater Body & Status

The site is underlain by the Middleton 1 Groundwater Body (GWB) (IE_SW_G_058) which

encompasses the limestone valley from Middleton east to the coast at Youghal Bay.

The proposed sewer pipeline route runs from the site to the south-western corner of the GWB. The

Bawnard-Rathcoursey reach of the pipeline along the L3629 road crosses into and runs along the

northern boundary of the Knockadoon_E GWB, which runs parallel and to the south of the Midleton

GWB.

These GWBs have been classified as being of Good Status for the period 2007 to 20121.

1 The groundwater body descriptions are available from the GSI website: www.gsi.ie and the ‘status’ is obtained from the Water Framework Directive website: www.wfdireland.ie/maps.html.

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http://www.gsi.ie/

http://www.wfdireland.ie/maps.html



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5.2 Aquifer Classification

The bedrock aquifer underlying the site and most of the proposed sewer pipeline is classified as a

regionally important aquifer with a karstified, diffuse flow regime (RKd). The bedrock aquifer

underlying a section of the pipeline (approx. 4 km) is classified as a Locally Important Aquifer (Ll),

which is moderately productive only in local zones. These Ll aquifers are outside the Midleton GWB

and do not contribute groundwater flow to the GWB.

5.2.1 Vulnerability Assessment

According to the GSI, groundwater vulnerability is a term used to represent the intrinsic geological and

hydrogeological characteristics that determine the ease with which groundwater may be

contaminated by human activities. The GSI uses a matrix comprising four groundwater vulnerability

categories to classify aquifer vulnerability. These vulnerability categories range from Extreme (E) to

High (H) to Moderate (M) to Low (L) and are dependent on the nature and thickness of subsoils above

the water table.

The site is situated over an area classified as having moderate groundwater vulnerability. The

western site boundary is mapped as having extreme groundwater vulnerability, as it intersects

the losing stream buffer zone delineated along the River Kiltha.

The proposed new discharge pipeline is underlain by an area of moderate groundwater

vulnerability for the majority of its reach along the L3627 local road. At the Junction between the

L3627 and the N25, and in the townlands of Kilmountain and Killamucky the L3627 reach varies

between high and extreme vulnerability.

Over the remainder of the proposed pipeline route along the L3628, L3630, R629 and L3629 the

groundwater vulnerability is predominantly high, but passes through or adjacent to a number of

extremely vulnerable areas.

5.2.2 Quality of Groundwater underlying the Site

A groundwater monitoring regime was implemented in 2012 in line with the requirements set out in

Schedule C.6 “Groundwater Monitoring” of the existing DFI license. The monitoring regime involves

monitoring upgradient groundwater quality at the upgradient site borehole GW1, and monitoring

groundwater quality at the downgradient boreholes GW3 and GW4. Boreholes GW3 and GW4 are

downgradient of the main processing area and the wastewater treatment plant respectively.

The laboratory results for the samples have been compared to the assessment criteria in SI No. 122 of

2014, i.e. the EU (Drinking Water) Regulations and the European Communities Environmental

Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010 (S.I. No. 9/2010). Information from the most recent

groundwater monitoring assessment provides the following:

5.2.2.1 Background Contamination

Nitrate exceeded its GTV at the upgradient borehole GW1 in November 2017. This also occurred in

August 2013, February 2014, September 2015 and November 2016. A phosphate exceedance occurred

at GW1 in November 2013. These isolated occurrences suggest short-term point source pollution of

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the karst aquifer. Nitrate and phosphate are typical agricultural pollutants, which can be released to

groundwater after landspreading of organic matter and/or inorganic fertilisers. Numerous karst

features are known to occur in the Mogeely area which could allow such point source pollution to

occur.

An ammonia concentration of 0.146 mg/l as N was measured at GW4 in November 2017. Ammonia

concentrations also exceeded the GTV in November 2013, February 2014, September 2015 and

November 2016 at GW4, with the peak concentration occurring in September 2015. The 2017

measurement shows a slight increase compared to 2016, but is approximately 50% less than the 2015

peak, suggesting an overall downward trend in ammonia at GW4 following the peak of 0.284 mg/l as N

in September 2015.

Faecal coliforms were not measured in November 2017; however, they were detected in GW4 in

February 2014. This tentatively suggests a human sewage or animal waste source for the ammonia

detections at GW4. Such a source may also contribute to the high chloride concentrations at GW4.

Given the faecal coliform detection, the local authority sewage treatment plant adjacent to GW4 and

the eastern boundary of the DFI WWTP seems a likely possible source for the ammonia contamination,

rather than the DFI WWTP itself which deals with wastewater from food grade ingredients.

5.2.2.2 Site Based Contamination

Chloride was elevated above the GTV value of 24 mg/l at all locations in November 2017. Electrical

conductivity was elevated at GW4 in November 2017. The highest chloride concentration observed in

2017 was 196 mg/l at GW4 at the most downgradient point of the site. Concentrations were lowest at

GW3 at 29 mg/l downgradient of the main production area and were intermediate at the upgradient

well GW1 at 60 mg/l. Electrical conductivity values showed the same spatial trend. Chloride was

elevated in all the samples collected in GW1, GW2 and GW3 between 2013 and 2017. Elevated

electrical conductivity occurred in GW3 in May 2013 and February 2014, and in GW4 in May and

November 2013, and in the samples from 2014 to 2017. The 2014 report showed that the observed

elevated chloride and electrical conductivity are likely to be due to table salt (NaCl) contamination of

the shallow bedrock aquifer, by a temporary, unbunded salt store in the southeast of the production

facility that was located 90 m upgradient of GW3. The salt store was decommissioned between May

and August 2013. This removed the primary source of the salt contamination. The data from May 2013

indicated that the salt store was generating a plume of dissolved sodium and chloride which was

migrating predominantly southeast in the groundwater, but also had a component migrating towards

GW1 under the influence of the groundwater abstraction from GW1. The data from August 2013

indicated that following source removal water quality improved significantly at GW3 and the zone of

peak contamination had moved southeast to GW4. Data from November 2013 and February 2014

suggested that rising groundwater levels were mobilising residual salt present in the unsaturated zone,

such that chloride and electrical conductivity concentrations were rising again. The corresponding

sodium, calcium and magnesium data showed cation exchange trends that correlated with the trends

in the chloride and electrical conductivity data. Overall the data from 2014 were consistent with

removal of the source of salt contamination and the dissipation and natural attenuation of the residual

subsurface salt contamination.

The chloride and electrical conductivity data from November 2017 are consistent with the

interpretation of the 2013/2014/2015 data; however the large data gaps between February 2014 –

September 2015 – November 2016 – November 2017, and the more restricted parameter suite in

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2015, 2016 and 2017 mean that there is a larger degree of uncertainty in the interpretation of the

2017 data.

The decrease in Chloride concentrations at GW4 in 2016 and 2017 compared to the peak in 2015

potentially suggests continued dissipation and natural attenuation of the residual contamination and

plume in the site area.

Conductivity values at GW1, GW3 and GW4 in November 2017 were similar to those observed in

September 2015 and November 2016. Chloride data at GW1 and GW3 in November 2017 were also

similar to those observed in September 2015 and November 2016. This suggests ongoing residual

contamination of the groundwater from residual subsurface salt contamination.

On the other hand, the faecal coliform contamination at GW4 in February 2014, and the ongoing

elevated ammonia concentrations at GW4 have been attributed to background contamination

potentially deriving from the Local Authority sewage wastewater treatment works adjacent to GW4.

Groundwater contamination from this source could also cause elevated chloride and electrical

conductivity concentrations.

It is possible that a component of the chloride observed in the sample from GW4 may derive from the

same upgradient point source pollution considered to be the source of the elevated nitrate and

phosphate occurrences at GW1.

5.3 Site Ground Conditions

In February 2017, geophysical investigations were undertaken at a site on the existing

(live/operational) cheese factory and the site of the proposed new cheese production building. These

fieldwork investigations included borehole drilling, trial pit excavations and soil sampling. Cable tool

borehole drilling (BH) (10 No.) was undertaken to a maximum depth of 14 mbgl. Rotary borehole (RC)

drilling (4 No.) was undertaken to a maximum depth of 15 mbgl. Trial pits (TP) (5 No.) were excavated

to a maximum depth of 3.2 mbgl. The locations of these explorations are shown in Figures 6-1 and 6-2

below.

The geotechnical investigations provide that the site is characterised by slightly sandy gravelly silt

between 1.0 m and 1.2 m thick and made ground 1.2 m to 2.8 m thick, underlain by dense silty sandy

gravel with varied cobble content and boulder content to depths up to 15.0 mbgl (meters below

existing ground level). No bedrock was encountered within the scheduled depth of the investigation,

15.0 mbgl. The geophysical survey suggested a depth to bedrock of 22.5 m. Groundwater was

encountered between depths of 9.2 mbgl and 10.7 mbgl in rotary boreholes

A total of 5 soil samples were collected for chemical testing. Analysis of soil samples indicated that

levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium VI and lead are all below Category 4 Screening Levels (C4SL)2

and the Dutch Intervention values for ‘standard’ soil. Soil conditions are considered representative of

a greenfield site.

2 SP1010: Development of Category 4 Screening Levels for Assessment of Land Affected by Contamination – Policy Companion Document (UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, December 2014)

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Figure 6-1 Exploration Location Plans – Existing Production site and adjacent Greenfield lands

Figure 6-2 Exploration Location Plans – DFI Wastewater Treatment Plant

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6 LANDSPREADING There will be no direct discharges of emissions to ground or groundwater.

Sludge generated by the on-site wastewater treatment plant will be recovered by landspreading by a

permitted contractor on an approved landbank under an EPA approved Nutrient Management Plan

(NMP) and in accordance with the installation’s licence. The material is certified annually by the

Organic Trust as a Dairy Sludge Fertiliser.

7 STORMWATER DISCHARGES

7.1 Stormwater Discharges

The installation and associated WWTP are located on the east bank of the River Kiltha (Waterbody

Code IE_SW_19_1909). Stormwater run-off from the installation will be collected by the on-site

surface water drainage system and discharged to the River Kiltha.


The River Kiltha flows in a southerly direction for approximately 3 km before joining the Womanagh

River (Waterbody Code IE_SW_19_1793) west of the village of Ladysbridge. The Womanagh River

continues to flow eastwards into transitional waters (Waterbody Code IE_SW_030_0100) before

finally reaching Youghal Bay (Waterbody Code IE_SW_020_0000) approximately 15 km downstream of

Mogeely village.

The status and objectives under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for these waterbodies are set

out below in Table 7.1.

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Table 7-1 Status and Objectives for Waterbodies relevant to the proposed development

Water Body Code WaterBody

Type

Name Status Risk Objective

IE_SW_19_1909 River Kiltha, Trib of

Womanagh

Moderate At risk of not achieving good

status

Restore 2021

IE_SW_19_1793 River Womanagh Poor At risk of not achieving good

status

Restore 2021

IE_SW_030_0100 Transitional Womanagh

Estuary

Moderate Not at Risk of not achieving good

status

Restore 2021

IE_SW_020_0000 Coastal Youghal Bay Good Not at Risk of not achieving good

status

Protect

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

There are no Special Areas of Conservation designated for the River Kiltha. The lower stretches of the

Womanagh River is a designated Special Area of Conservation from its point south of the R633 at

Crompaun Bridge to where the river enters Youghal Bay. This site’s conservation value derives largely

from the presence of a number of important coastal habitats listed in Annex I of the European Union

Habitats Directive.

Special Protection Areas (SPA)

There are no Special Protection Areas designated for the River Kiltha. The lower stretches of the

Womanagh River from its point approximately 665 m north of the R633 at Crompaun Bridge to where

the river enters Youghal Bay is a Special Protection Area.

Natural Heritage Areas (NHA)

There are no Natural Heritage Areas designated for the River Kiltha. The lower stretches of the

Womanagh River is a proposed National Heritage Area from its point south of the R633 at Crompaun

Bridge to where the river enters Youghal Bay.

Surface Water Directive

Surface water is abstracted from the River Kiltha upstream of Mogeely village. There are no surface

water abstractions downstream of the discharge point.

Freshwater Fish Directive & Salmonid Regulations

The River Kiltha, the Womanagh River and its tributaries are not designated under these Regulations.

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Bathing Water Directive

There are no designated inland bathing areas in the Womanagh catchment nor are there any

designated beaches on the Womanagh estuary.

EU Shellfish Waters Directive

There is a Shellfish Designation in Youghal/Ballymacoda Bay where the Womanagh River discharges to

the sea.

Water Quality

The most current publicly available information for the River Kiltha waterbody indicates that while the

general physio-chemical status is classed high, the overall status of the waterbody is classed moderate

due to its overall ecological status. The identified pressures and risks include Point Source Risk

principally associated with WWTPs.

A biological water quality assessment along a section of the River Kiltha was carried out by Malachy

Walsh and Partners (MWP) on 9th September 2016. Q sampling was undertaken at three sampling

locations in the vicinity of the DFI facility. Q-values were assigned on the basis of macroinvertebrate

density and diversity found. The sampling locations are shown on Figure 7.1 and results of the Q

sampling event are outlined in Table 7.2 below. The results of the Q-sampling show a deterioration in

the stream ecological quality between the upstream and downstream sampling locations.

Water samples were also taken from the River Kiltha on 9th September 2016 at the same locations as

those used for the Q sampling and were sent for laboratory analysis. The analytical results of these

samples indicate a deterioration in the quality of the water between the upstream and downstream

locations with higher concentrations of COD, Orthophosphate, Suspended Solids and Total Phosphorus

recorded at the downstream sampling locations. There was however no difference in the recorded

BOD concentrations at the upstream and downstream locations.

Table 7-2 Q values and Pollution Status of River Kiltha

Sampling

Station

Location Q Value Water Framework

Directive Status

1 Upstream of existing stormwater outfall (SW4) Q3-4 Moderate

2 Between existing stormwater outfall (SW4) and

existing Dairygold WWTP outfall (SW3)

Q3 Poor

3 Downstream of existing Dairygold WWTP

outfall (SW3)

Q3 Poor

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Figure 7.1 Sampling Locations

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