Common sense approach must be taken regarding dredging of rivers to avoid flooding in Cork, councillors hear

A common sense approach needs to be taken regarding the dredging of rivers to avoid flooding, councillors at this week’s meeting of Cork County Council heard.

They were told that the issue was becoming an increasing problem and could have an impact on the protection of species such as the freshwater pearl mussel.

However, the Mayor of County Cork Joe Carroll said the protection of the species should not come before the needs of local communities.

Addressing the meeting, Fine Gael councillor for Bandon/Kinsale John Micheal Foley spoke about extensive flooding across Co Cork, particularly in the western region.

“One of these was on the R603 road from Bandon to Kilbrittain, where the stream burst its bank in a number of places, flooding the road severely and tearing up the bank, causing the road to be impassable for several hours,” he said.

“Subsequently the road had to be closed, leaving severe damage to be fixed by Cork County Council in the coming days and weeks.”

Mr Foley, who paid tribute to council workers for their efforts to combat flooding, also said that there had been severe flooding in Ballinascarthy, impacting shops and residences. He said the local community hall, recently refurbished at a cost of €500,000, had narrowly escaped thanks to the efforts of two units of the fire brigade.

Several councillors said that the issue was the failure to dredge rivers, as had been the norm for decades up until the amendment in 1995 of the Arterial Drainage Act of 1945 — which led to the restriction on dredging to avoid the disturbance of species such as the fresh water pearl mussel.

Mr Carroll, argued that people had to be realistic about the matter and suggested that the protection of the pearl mussel should not take precedence over the needs of the community: “There is such a thing as nature, but we’re part of nature too. It’s all over Cork county today and a lot of our trouble is the pearl mussel under the bridge. I’m sick of it.”

Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse, representing Skibbereen West Cork, urged the adoption of natural flood mitigation and prevention measures in West Cork, similar to those being adapted in the Midleton area.

“There’s a reason dredging isn’t carried out routinely,” she said. “It can make riverbanks unstable, and can cause faster and more dangerous floods, and obliterates fish spawning grounds.

“In emergency situations, I think if there is good justification for dredging, then I thought it could be done, but I think we need to get on with the nature-based solutions, rather than any blanket dredging scheme which could potentially be more damaging.”