'Nature-based solutions are the best protection against flooding', says Environment Minister 

Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said 'we do need to improve our speed in terms of our planning and our delivery of those sort of measures.' Picture: Liam McBurney/PA

Flood prediction capability must be improved to prevent a repeat of the flooding disasters experienced this week, the Green Party leader has said.

Although Ireland has good systems for modelling and predicting weather systems, “we need to enhance our modelling of flood systems,” Eamon Ryan said.

Addressing the Green Party conference in Cork City just days after Midleton and Glanmire were badly damaged by flooding, Mr Ryan said that the Government’s immediate concern would be helping the flood-hit families and businesses in Cork.

But the longer-term response to protect Midelton from future flooding was “complex.” 

“We need to enhance our modelling of flood systems. So understanding what's happening in those water levels… like, in Midleton, [understanding] where is the water table? What's bringing water up and down?

“What's happening in the river catchment, river basin management systems? That sort of level of analysis we need.” 

Farmers will “be the heroes, the frontline heroes” of the transition to a safer, less flood-prone environment, Mr Ryan said.

We need not just the embankments or walls or culverting of rivers, which may protect a particular area, but could divert flood problems to another area.

“We need, particularly upstream, really good land use management so we slow the water down.” 

This would involve switching from monocultures to mixed grass systems “which are better for climate, better for the farming, lower cost, better outputs, but also can hold water better.” 

Moving forestry from a concentration of Sitka spruce, clear felling to mixed forestry with more native trees was also key to more effectively holding water, he said.

“We need all that because, with real certainty now, weather systems are changing. And we're likely to see much more intense weather systems.

“Nature-based solutions are going to be the best protection against flooding."

Planting trees upstream can hold excess water while removing weirs can improve the flow, improve the oxygenation.

“It's what they call hydromorphology. Excuse the fancy word, but what we need now is a lot of  hydromorphology.

“It's managing our rivers in a really clever, nature-based way, that's the best protection against flooding.” 

Getting a flood relief scheme built in Midleton was now also vital, he said.

“I think we need to get that through planning quickly now.

“The flood relief scheme, which had been designed since the previous flooding in 2015… still hasn't been delivered.

“And we do need to improve our speed in terms of our planning and our delivery of those sort of measures."