The Water Advisory Unit at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage invites submissions, observations and comments on the designation of heavily modified water bodies for Ireland’s third cycle River Basin Management Plan.
Heavily Modified Waterbodies are rivers, lakes or coastal areas that have undergone changes to support economic activities, water supply storage, flood protection or transport needs such as arterial drainage, harbours, reservoirs, dams or canals. Extensive modifications mean that the waterbodies can no longer achieve Good Ecological Status as required under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for all waterbodies but are expected to achieve Good Ecological Potential.
In the River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021, 33 waterbodies were designated as being heavily modified. In 2022, EPA have carried out a review of heavily modified waterbody designation criteria and, based on the review findings, the number of potential designated heavily modified waterbodies will be increased to 466 for the 3rd RMBP cycle.
The new list of potential heavily modified water bodies and the reasons behind their designation is supplied along with a file indicating the 2016-2021 WFD Ecological Status of the candidate water bodies. Links to these documents are provided below.
The purpose of this consultation is to seek the public’s views on the designation of Ireland’s heavily modified water bodies.
If you have a submission, observation or comments, send them directly to: wau@housing.gov.ie
Written submissions can be sent to:
Water Advisory Unit,
Heavily Modified Water Body Consultation
Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Custom House,
D01 W6X0
This consultation will close at 5:00pm, 23 May 2025.
