Industrial projects could put Shannon at risk

IN a week that the ever popular Inland Waterways Association of Ireland’s 51st Shannon Boat Rally is underway, it is a timely to publicise two major industrial undertakings that could grossly affect the majestic Shannon river system.

At Lough Allen, a huge natural gas exploration project is proposed that will involve hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” as it is commonly known.

This involves forcing certain chemicals at high pressure down various boreholes that are to be drilled in the Lough Allen area.

To extract Lough Allen’s gas and oil, a number of chemicals, specifically biocides and certain petroleum products are used in the fracturing fluid.

These are hazardous chemicals and could cause health and other risks.

As Lough Allen is connected by canal and underground streams to the Shannon, the consequences of even a minor leakage from even a best practice fracking process is undesirable.

The second undertaking is further down the river Shannon and could involve extracting large volumes of water to feed Dublin’s water requirements. Again the possible consequences of this to the Shannon ecosystem is unknown, which combined with Lough Allen fracking, could lead to a potential environmental crisis for all.

K Nolan

Carrick-on-Shannon

Co Leitrim