Flood warning for engineers and local politicians

THE recent stand-off between Inland Fisheries Ireland officers and Cork County Council over the dredging of the Bandon river highlights the ongoing conflict between human activity and the natural environment.

Here we have a case of a highly damaging ‘sticking plaster’ solution being implemented while ignoring the causes elsewhere.

Under the EU water framework directive and in conjunction with the floods directive, any remedial activity or flood alleviation projects are to be done on a catchment-based approach, where all factors influencing the potential flood hazards in a river drainage basin are taken into account.