Kings Water Management Unit Action Plan

Name Kings Water Management Unit

Area 381 km2

River Basin District South Eastern RBD

Main Counties Kilkenny/Tipperary

Protected Areas River Barrow and River Nore SAC

Sectoral Total Phosphorus Source (This does not imply impact)

0102030405060708090

100

%

STATUS/IMPACTS

Overall status 27 RWB - 8 good, 12 moderate, 6 poor, 1 bad. 0 lakes.

Status elements Q-score dictates status in 11 WBs, PhysChem is driving element for 3 moderate WBs. Phys Chemical is less than good in 5 WBs. The remaining 13 WBs are extrapolated including 5 of the good status sites. Chemical Status passes where monitored (2 water bodies, Barrow and Kilmaganny)

Possible Impacts - EPA Water Quality 2004

CAHERLESK STREAM – (SE_15_1137, Status 2009- Poor) – Continuing moderately polluted. (Q3)COALBROOK STREAM – (SE_15_669, Status 2009 – Good) – Continuing satisfactory. (Q4)DESART STREAM – (SE_15_686, Status 2009 – Poor) – Continuing unsatisfactory, due to moderate pollution, from suspected agriculture sources. (Q3)ENNISNAG STREAM – (SE_15_1762, Status 2009 – Moderate) – Continuing unsatisfactory despite a slight increase in biological quality since previous survey. (Q3-4)GARRANACOOL STREAM – (SE_15_1736, Status 2009 – Moderate) – Again unsatisfactory, due to slight pollution , but with some improvement in biological quality since previous survey when seriously polluted. (Q3-4)GLORY – (SE_15_364, Status – Poor and SE_15_1870, Status 2009, Moderate) –Mostly unsatisfactory but with slight improvement recorded at all locations since previous survey. Satisfactory at final location which is immediately upstream of Kings River confluence. (Q2-3 and 3-4)KINGS (SE_15_282, Status 2009 - Good and SE_15_1819, Status 2009 - Moderate) Eutrophic or slightly polluted over much of its course (0500, 0800, 0900), improved to good quality downstream of Callan (0600) and continuing likewise at the uppermost location (0200). (Q score 4 and 3-4)MUNSTER – (SE_15_1734, Status – Moderate) – Mostly satisfactory, following improvement at first location but continuing slightly polluted at final sample station. (Q3-4)TULLAROAN STREAM – ( SE_15_660, Status 2009 – Moderate) – Following improvement, since 2005, both location assessed had good quality recorded in 2007. (Q4)

PRESSURES/RISKS

Nutrient sources Most TP is diffuse (96%) mainly from agriculture (87%) and unsewered properties (7%).

Point pressures 8 WWTP - Callan, Dunamaggan, Kells, Stonyford, Ballingarry, Commons, Kilmaganny, Coalbrook. Location of Tullaroan WWTP also shown on map – to be built 2010.

1 Section 4 – Private Company

1 IPPC licence – Private Company

4 WTPs - Coalbrook WTP, Commons WTP, Callan WTP and Kilmaganny WTP.

Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and Industrial Discharges

Callan Sewerage Scheme WWTP - at riskKells WWTP - at riskStonyford WWTP – at riskBallingarry WWTP - at riskCommons WWTP – at riskCoalbrook, Kilmaganny and Commons WWTP also at risk

Kings Water Management Unit Action PlanPRESSURES/RISKS

Quarries, Mines & Landfills

There are 6 quarries within the WMU

There are no landfills within the WMU.

There is one mine present within the WMU: Slieve Ardagh.No water bodies at risk.

Agriculture There are 27 waterbodies within the WMU at risk from Agriculture: SE_15_1762, SE_15_1137, SE_15_143, SE_15_1991, SE_15_1819, SE_15_658, SE_15_222, SE_15_239, SE_15_629, SE_15_699, SE_15_301, SE_15_660, SE_15_1871, SE_15_1734, SE_15_1561, SE_15_1567, SE_15_1569, SE_15_1546, SE_15_1986, SE_15_686, SE_15_501, SE_15_1736, SE_15_282, SE_15_364, SE_15_1868, SE_15_976 and SE_15_1870

On-site systems

There are 3479 septic tanks in this WMU, none of them are posing a risk to water quality due to their density, location and unsuitable hydrogeological conditions.

Forestry There are no waterbodies within the WMU at risk from Forestry.

Dangerous substances

There are no waterbodies at risk from dangerous substances within the WMU.

Morphology There are 3 waterbodies at risk due to channelisation within the WMU: SE_15_501 (Kilbride Drainage District, pre 1945 drainage), SE_15_364 and SE_15_1870 (Kilmaganny Drainage, pre 1945 drainage).Barriers to Migration have also been risk assessed by SRFB and CFB using field based assessment and GIS.Kings river: O’Grady & Sullivan (1994) identified three weirs on the lower reaches of the King’s river which may inhibit the upstream migration of Atlantic salmon. These include Bradleys weir, Hutchinson’s weir and Mullins weir. Two year classes of juvenile salmon were captured at a site surveyed in 1990 and another site in 2008, both located upstream of all three barriers. Therefore Bradleys weir has now been classified as a moderate risk barrier. Hutchinson’s and Mullins have both been classified as low risk. The only location on the Kings River sub-catchment where a barrier (bridge apron) was deemed high risk post GIS analysis was on the Munster tributary. This was at one of the two bridges at Ballyclovan as no juvenile salmon were captured upstream when surveyed in 1992.Two barriers which were assessed as high risk barriers during field analysis have been reclassified as moderate risk post GIS analysis. Three other barriers on the Kings River have been classified as moderate risk following GIS analysis as two year classes were captured upstream in 2008. These include a weir at Drimeen on the main channel and a bridge located just upstream of Island bridge also located on the main channel.The 1992 CFB electro-fishing survey revealed low densities of juvenile salmon at a number of sites on the Kings River. Sullivan (2007) suggests that only a small percentage of adult salmon manage to ascend the lowest weir, Bradleys weir. It is evident from the electro-fishing results that although some adult salmon are migrating upstream every year, the weirs on the lower reaches of the Kings River; Bradleys weir, Hutchinson’s weir and Mullins weir are causing some impediment to salmon upstream migration.Arigna River: The SRFB field assessment classified a bridge apron at Clashacrow as a high risk barrier. In 2008 two year classes of juvenile salmon were captured. Under the GIS risk analysis the bridge has now been reclassified as moderate risk.

Abstractions There are no waterbodies at risk from abstraction within the WMU.

Other There are no HMWB or AWB within the WMU.

River Status

Kings Water Management Unit Action PlanSELECTED ACTION PROGRAMMENB All relevant basic measures, general supplementary measures and SEA mitigation measures apply

Point Sources See Action Table for WWTP at risk to the right.

INDUSTRY- Examine the terms of discharge authorisations to determine whether they require review for the purpose of compliance with water body objectives including protected area objectives and environmental quality standards.

Diffuse Sources AGRICULTURE – Good Agricultural Practice Regulations and Enforcement.

Other MORPHOLOGY - 3 waterbodies (SE_15_501, SE_15_364 and SE_15_1870) will require Channelisation Investigation to determine impact.The 1 high risk and 4 moderate risk barriers within SE_15_1986; SE_1819 and SE 15-222 require further investigation to determine the appropriate type of remediation and its feasibility.

OBJECTIVES

Restore/Protect 2015 12 water bodies

Alternative Objectives Extended Deadlines – 15 water bodies with 2021 deadline

New Modifications or Development – none requiring alternative objectives at present.

HMWB/AWB - none

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Future Pressures and Developments

Throughout the river basin management cycle future pressures and developments will need to be managed to ensure compliance with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the Programme of Measures will need to be developed to ensure issues associated with these new pressures are addressed.

Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure (Capital Works)

Kells Kilkenny 1Increase capacity of treatment plant.

Kells Kilkenny 1Provide tertiary treatment or relocate outfall.

Stonyford Sewerage Scheme WWTP Kilkenny 1Increase capacity of treatment plant.

Stonyford Sewerage Scheme WWTP Kilkenny 1Provide tertiary treatment or relocate outfall.

Stonyford Sewerage Scheme WWTP Kilkenny 1Provide nutrient removal or relocate outfall.

Point Source Discharge County PriorityMeasure (Investigation before Capital Works)

Commons WWTP South Tipp 3Investigate the need for tertiary treatment or for the relocation of the outfall.

Kilmaganny WWTP Kilkenny 3Investigate the need for increase in capacity of treatment plant.

Point Source Discharge County Priority MeasureCallan Sewerage Scheme WWTP Kilkenny 2 Investigation of CSO'sBallingarry, South Tipp South Tipp 3 Investigation of CSO'sCoalbrook South Tipp 3 Investigation of CSO'sCommons WWTP South Tipp 3 Investigation of CSO's

Point Source Discharge County Priority MeasureCallan Sewerage Scheme WWTP Kilkenny 2 Ensure capacity of treatment

plant is not exceeded

High

Good

Moderate

Poor

Bad

Yet to be determined

River Data

Kings Water Management Unit Action Plan

Member State Code

Monito

red Y

(E

xtra

pola

ted N

)

Donor W

ate

rbody

Macro

inverte

bra

tes (Q

)

Fresh

Wate

r Pearl

Musse

l

Fish

Phyto

benth

os

(Dia

tom

s)

Morp

holo

gy

Specifi

c Polu

tants

Physio

-chem

ical

Eco

logica

l Sta

tus

Chem

ical S

tatu

s

Specia

l Are

a o

f Conse

rvatio

n

Specia

l Pro

tectio

n

Are

a

Nutrie

nt S

ensitiv

e

Wate

rs

Drin

kin

g W

ate

r

Obje

ctive

Date

obje

ctive to

be a

chie

ved

SE_15_1137 Y P P GES 2021

SE_15_143 N SE_15_1762 M GES 2015

SE_15_1546 Y G G GES 2009

SE_15_1561 N SE_15_1546 G GES 2009

SE_15_1567 N SE_15_1546 G GES 2009

SE_15_1569 N SE_15_1546 G GES 2009

SE_15_1734 Y M H M Y GES 2015

SE_15_1736 Y B B GES 2021

SE_15_1762 Y M M GES 2021

SE_15_1819 Y P H M P G Y GES 2021

SE_15_1868 N SE_15_1734 M Y GES 2021

SE_15_1870 Y M H M M G Y GES 2021

SE_15_1871 Y M M GES 2021

SE_15_1986 Y M G M Y GES 2021

SE_15_1991 Y M M GES 2021

SE_15_222 N SE_15_282 G GES 2009

SE_15_239 N SE_15_282 G GES 2009

SE_15_282 Y G G G GES 2009

SE_15_301 N SE_15_1736 P GES 2021

SE_15_364 Y P M P GES 2021

SE_15_501 N SE_15_1819 P Y GES 2021

SE_15_629 N SE_15_1734 M GES 2021

SE_15_658 N SE_15_1734 M GES 2015

SE_15_660 N SE_15_1734 M GES 2015

SE_15_686 Y P P GES 2021

SE_15_699 Y G H G GES 2009

SE_15_976 N SE_15_1870 M GES 2021

IE_SE_Kings

Biological Elements Supporting Elements Protected Areas

This table outlines water body information including status and a breakdown of its elements, protected areas, objectives and timescales.