Nore Upper Water Management Unit Action Plan Name Nore Upper Water Management Unit Area300 km 2 River Basin DistrictSouth Eastern RBD Main CountiesLaois Protected Areas Slieve Bloom Mountains SAC River Barrow and River Nore SAC Coolrain Bog SAC Knockacoller Bog SAC River Nore SAC 1 FPM – Nore catchment

STATUS/IMPACTS Overall status 20 RWB - 5 high, 6 good, 4 moderate, 4 poor, 1 bad. 0 lakes. Status elementsQ score dictates status in most cases, 2 good WB’s are determined by Phys Chemical. Phys Chemical fails in 3 cases. FPM is also moderate in one water body as is Q status. Status was extrapolated for 4 high status WBs. Chemical Status passes in the 2 WB’s monitored - Nore channel and Ballyroan. Possible Impacts - EPA Water Quality 2004 BALLYROAN – (SE_15_1938, Status 2009 – Poor) - Satisfactory, following improvement in conditions since previous survey, at Sallagh Bridge (0100) but continuing moderately polluted downstream of Abbeyleix at Gloreen Bridge (0200). (Q score 3) CAPPANACLOGHY – (SE_15_925, Status 2009 – Poor) - Continuing unsatisfactory, due to moderately polluted conditions, at uppermost location but again satisfactory in lower reach. (Q Score 3) CLONAWOOLAN STREAM – (SE_15_1250, Status 2009 – Poor) - Moderately polluted - no change. (Q2-3) DELOUR – (SE_15_259 and SE_15_911, Status 2009 – Good) - Moderately polluted - no change. (Q4) (Recent EPA monitoring indicates that status has improved since this assessment) GULLY – (SE_15_1934, Status Poor and SE_15_1749, Status Good) - No change since previous survey with the first sample location (0060) continuing moderately polluted and the other two (0100, 0300) of good quality. The substratum of this river is naturally heavily calcified in places. KILLEEN – (SE_15_1005, Status 2009 – Good) - Continuing satisfactory. Land at both sides of the river, at the location sampled, had been cleared since previous survey. (Q4) LISDOWNEY – (SE_15_1934, Status 2009 – Poor) - The improvement in condition, to good quality, recorded in 2005 was maintained in This river dries in some summers further downstream. (Q4) MOUNTRATH – (SE_15_1000, Status Dec 2009 –Bad based on Q score At Paddock Crossroads in 2007 and SE_15_1003, Status Moderate). No assessment of possible source yet available. NEEDLEFORD STREAM – (SE_15_289, Status 2009 – High) – Continuing satisfactory since first sampled in (Q4-5) NORE – (SE_15_1050, SE_15_1018, SE_15_1836, Status 2009 – 1 Good and 2 moderate) - Continuing mainly unsatisfactory, with further deterioration recorded in 2004, due largely to widespread eutrophication with just eight of the 23 locations examined satisfactory. Three locations (0700, 2320 and 2400) had declined in quality, since previous survey, while four others had improved (0030, 1950, 2000 and 2305) but only one of these to a satisfactory status. Siltation effects, due to Kilkenny Flood Relief Scheme, were recorded in the Ossory Bridge (1950) reach of the river while sings of sewage discharges were evident at Thomastown (2305). Numbers of both protected species, the pearl mussel and crayfish, have declined recently with an unexplained collapse of the Nore crayfish population occurring in August (Q and one location only monitored in 2008 with Q3). TONET – (SE_15_1797, Status 2009 – Moderate) - High and good quality again respectively at Birchgrove Bridge (0200) and Anatrim Bridge (0600) but deterioration at Rossnaclonagh Bridge (0400) to moderate quality, since 2005, where an increase in filamentous algae was recorded and where household litter had been dumped in the river. (Q3-4) PRESSURES/RISKS Nutrient sourcesMost TP is diffuse (95%) mainly from agriculture (76%) and unsewered properties (13%). 5% of TP comes from WWTP. Point pressures5 WWTPs - Abbeyleix, Borris-in-Ossory, Castletown, Mountrath, Ballyroan WWTPs. 2 Section 4 – Nursing Home, Private Company. One application at Ballymullen, Abbeyleix from a quarry. One granted at Coolrain but not operational. 3 IPPCs – Gardening Company, Pharmaceutical Company, Timbre Manufacturers. No WTPs. Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and Industrial Discharges At risk: Abbeyleix WWTP Ballyroan Mountrath WWTP Borris-in-Ossory WWTP Castletown WWTP Quarries, Mines & Landfills There are 15 quarries within the WMU. (S4 Application submitted). There are no landfills or mines within the WMU. There are no waterbodies at risk AgricultureThere are 11 waterbodies at risk from agriculture within the WMU: SE_15_1938, SE_15_1836, SE_15_318, SE_15_1050, SE_15_925, SE_15_1250, SE_15_923, SE_15_1018, SE_15_1934, SE_15_1003, SE_15_1749 On-site systemsThere are 3931 septic tanks in this WMU, none of them are posing a risk to water quality due to their density, location and unsuitable hydrogeological conditions. ForestryThere are 19 waterbodies at risk from forestry within the WMU: SE_15_1938, SE_15_259, SE_15_911, SE_15_1836, SE_15_318, SE_15_1050, SE_15_289, SE_15_925, SE_15_1250, SE_15_1018, SE_15_1797, SE_15_1005, SE_15_1321, SE_15_1057, SE_15_1934, SE_15_1455, SE_15_1003, SE_15_1000, SE_15_1749. Dangerous substances There are no waterbodies at risk from dangerous substances within the WMU. Morphology109 potential Barriers to Migration have also been risk assessed by SRFB and CFB in this WMU. There are no impassable or high risk structures. Delour Basin Weir is of Moderate Risk. Salmon, eel and river lamprey were recorded upstream of the basin on the lower reaches of the Delour thereby downgrading it from high risk. AbstractionsThere are a number of Groundwater Sources for drinking water supply such as Knocks Borehole, Drim Borehole, Ballyglissen Spring, Five Wells Abbeyleix, Townspark Borehole Borris in Ossory, Derrin Borehole, Donaghmore Borehole, Tullore Spring, Clonin Hill There are no waterbodies at risk from abstraction within the WMU. OtherThere are no HMWB or AWB within the WMU. Nore Upper Water Management Unit Action Plan

SELECTED ACTION PROGRAMME NB All relevant basic measures, general supplementary measures and SEA mitigation measures apply Point SourcesPOINT SOURCE: Upgrades as identified and prioritised by LAs & Discharge License review: WWTP – Refer to WWTP Measures Table below right. Diffuse SourcesAGRICULTURE – Good Agricultural Practice Regulations and Enforcement. OtherMORPHOLOGY: Delour Basin Weir - CFB recommends that there is approximately 17,214m-1 of potential spawning grounds upstream of the basin. While the Basin weir is categorised as a moderate risk barrier, the quantity of spawning channel upstream (approximately 17,214m-1) would prioritise this weir for remediation. No sea lamprey was recorded on the Delour which supports the need to improve fish passage at the Basin weir. Investigation into appropriate remediation and technical feasibility is required. FORESTRY - Measures to address acidification and sedimentation apply to all but two waterbodies within the WMU.2 of these 19 waterbodies are to be considered for acidification, eutrophication and also sedimentation measures (SE_15_259 and SE_15_ the forested areas of Baunreagh and Bordowin at the foot of Slieve Bloom Mountains). OTHER: Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sub Basin Plans – measures to protect FPM Water Supply Scheme for Mountrath and Sewerage Scheme for Laois Grouped Towns (Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, Mountrath,Stradbally, Durrow, Clonaslee) identified in WSIP OBJECTIVES Good status 2015 Protect 1 water bodies 11 waterbodies Alternative Objectives Extended Deadlines – 8 water bodies with 2021 deadline New Modifications or Development – Mountrath flood alleviation works HMWB/AWB - none River Status FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Future Pressures and Developments Throughout the river basin management cycle future pressures and developments will need to be managed to ensure compliance with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the Programme of Measures will need to be developed to ensure issues associated with these new pressures are addressed. High Good Moderate Poor Bad Yet to be determined

Nore Upper Water Management Unit Action Plan River Data Refer to Explanation of Terms overleaf This table outlines water body information including status and a breakdown of its elements, protected areas, objectives and timescales.

Nore Upper Water Management Unit Action Plan River Data Explanation of Terms