Understanding our catchments: Water Framework Directive characterisation
In this article from the Winter 2018 Catchments Newsletter, Jenny Deakin from the EPA Catchments Unit outlines how we carried […]
Read MoreIn this article from the Winter 2018 Catchments Newsletter, Jenny Deakin from the EPA Catchments Unit outlines how we carried […]
Read MoreThe EPA has today released the Water Quality in 2017: An Indicators Report for Ireland. The 16 indicators in the […]
Read MoreDuring the week of July 16th, 10-20mm of rain fell on the south western and eastern-midlands-border regions, with lower rainfall […]
Read MoreThe most comprehensive bird population and habitat survey ever undertaken on the Shannon Estuary has been underway since May 2017. […]
Read MoreNew estimates indicate that diffuse sources outweigh point sources in most sub-catchments. The main cause of unsatisfactory water quality in […]
Read MoreOf all the ecosystems on the planet, freshwaters are under the greatest pressure and are likely the most endangered. Human […]
Read MoreThe Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) was transposed into Irish law in 2008. Its objective is to improve the protection of […]
Read MoreAgriculture systems in Europe range from very intensive production on fertile land with high inputs to very extensive High Nature […]
Read MoreAs environmental hydrology continues to grow in importance, both researchers and practitioners remain on the look-out for investigative techniques to […]
Read MoreSo ……we know that a rural stream is polluted (e.g. Ecological Quality value = 3-4; mean phosphate concentrations = 0.05 and […]
Read MoreQuite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.
This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.