This demonstration catchment, as defined in the River Basin District Plan, has been extended by the inclusion of the Lisduggan North_010 sub basin and the omission of part of the main channel of the Blackwater itself, in order to create a demonstration catchment which is a coherent geographical whole, for the purposes of the Waters of LIFE project.
This demonstration catchment is the sub catchment of a river called the Awbeg (but not the one that flows through Buttevant) which rises to the South of Liscarroll in Co. Cork and flows Southwards to join the main channel of the Blackwater East of Banteer also in Co. Cork.
The catchment has an area of approx. 80km². Both the water bodies that make up the demonstration catchment have a high status objective. However, one has fallen to good status for the last two monitoring cycles, the other is not monitored, but has recently been assigned a predicted status of high by the EPA.
The geology in the area is quite mixed consisting of sandstone, mudstone and karst areas. Large areas have locally and regionally important aquifers. Soil drainage is also mixed with both well and poorly draining areas and generally acid mineral soils. Diffuse pollution pathways are similarly mixed with surface runoff in poorly draining areas, shallow to deep subsurface flow in areas of well draining soils depending on the fracturing of bedrock or presence of karst and potential for direct inputs via karst features.
The significant pressures in this area are agriculture and hydromorphology. The catchment has a mix of areas which are considered high pollution impact for both phosphorus and nitrate.
The Desk Study for the Awbeg (Kilbrin) is available at the following link:
Presentations from the Public Engagement Meeting are available by selecting the links below:
Awbeg (Kilbrin) Presentation 1
Awbeg (Kilbrin) Presentation 2