Cork councillors looking at nature-based solution to manage flood risk from River Lee tributary

Cork City Council officials confirmed they were in the early stages of designing a nature-based solution pilot project for Clashduv Park, which flanks a stretch of the Glasheen stream, which has burst it banks twice in recent years

Focus is to demonstrate how the council may be able to use existing parklands to manage parks' surface water run-off using nature-based solutions and does not contain flood infrastructure prevention measures. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/ RollingNews.ie

A nature-based solution is being considered in Cork City to help manage flood risk posed by a tributary of the river Lee.

But it will not include flood defences, and until funding is secured, there is no timeline for delivery. Residents have been urged to install their own flood barriers in the meantime.

Cork City Council officials confirmed they were in the early stages of designing a nature-based solution pilot project for Clashduv Park, which flanks a stretch of the Glasheen stream, which burst its banks in 2023 and again last October, causing damage to several homes in the adjoining Riverview Estate.

The detail emerged in response to a question from Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Martin on the actions the council had taken to address flood risk in Riverview Estate posed by the Glasheen stream, which runs from near Chetwynd, under St James's Cemetery, through the southern suburbs and under several roads including the N40 South Link Road, to join the Curraheen river near Victoria Cross, where they both join the Lee.

It burst its banks during Storm Babet in October 2023, just weeks after the council carried out emergency dredging and clearance works, and it burst its banks again last October.

Director of services Paul Moynihan said following a flood event in August 2023, the council carried out emergency works in the river from September 18 to October 5, 2023, to improve conveyance and reduce the risk of flooding.

“The works involved the clearing and removal of debris and vegetation that may give rise to blockages. The conveyance of the river had reduced due to the build-up of silt in the channel,” he said.

But the river flooded on October 16, 2023, during Storm Babet, and again on October 5, 2024 — both during Met Éireann orange level rain warning events.

Mr Moynihan said the council undertook further inspections and maintenance at key locations along the stream last year, including the removal of debris from culverts, bridges and trash screens.

Council engineers also met with some residents of Riverview Estate, Southbury Road, Clashduv Estate and Glendale Avenue last October to discuss residents’ concerns and the issues involved, he said.

He also confirmed the council’s parks department was at an early stage of designing a nature-based solution pilot project for Clashduv Park, which sits opposite Riverview Estate.

“The conceptual design contains a number of measures to convey surface water run-off in the park land area, to provide rainwater storage during large rainfall events and to improve water quality,” he said.

The focus is to demonstrate how the council may be able to use existing parklands to manage parks' surface water run-off using nature-based solutions and does not contain flood infrastructure prevention measures, he said.

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Laura Harmon urged councillors to read a new report on the biological quality of the stream, which was commissioned by Green Spaces for Health and conducted by Litizia Cocchiglia of Mayfly Ecology.

It has highlighted the pollution and degradation of the stream and its impact on biodiversity and flooding.