Irish Water kindly provided us with the River Vartry Dam Survey conducted the 2nd of October 2013 which is the basis for some of the remedial work planned in the new Water Treatment Plant. We would like to give credit where credit is due and appreciate what Ned Fleming does for all of us by his diligence in protecting and keeping the Dam safe. The report in general reflects this care and gives a good bill of health for a Dam that is mud and clay, constructed in 1865. As a Category A Dam (where a breach could endanger lives in the community), the small suggestions are mostly part of the WTP’s normal maintenance program and the more long term remedies are part of the plan and urgency needed for the new WTP.
We are still concerned over the process to re-grade the Slipway and that it will not put any stress on the Dam. We would prefer that there was an EIA and some public supervision over this critical phase of the new development as we are all located below it. As well, we need to see that the rock removal does not put ANY mud, silt or other discharge into the river itself.
Thank you again for providing this document as this is the kind of cooperation we hope for in the future so that we can all enjoy the benefits of the River Vartry, both for it’s natural environment and it’s benefit to Dublin as a water resource.
The Oral Hearing is now complete and we would like to update everyone on the process and the sense of it as there are no results or conclusion that can be drown until a decision is made by An Bord Pleanála. There are some thing promised to look at that might give you a “better picture” of it. First have a look at the film Film – Save the River Vartry.
We are very satisfied with our performance over the three days, with little that we could improved upon. Alan Doyle, or solicitor gave an iron-clad argument for the absolute Legal Requirement for an EIA that was not required by the WCC. The lawyer for Irish Water did not even attempt to place counter arguments but just responded in a few words of “well I won’t waste the Inspectors and everyone’s time, that is what Mr. Doyle thinks, it is just not so.” Did he suspect, know, presume that the Inspector would never delay the building of the new Water Treatment Works by sending it back to Wicklow County Council for an EIA and a new planning process. He is probably right, as I too felt the decision was already made. The Oral Hearing might only be for our benefit to feel heard.
They may accommodate some of our concerns with further Conditions as the Inspector asked for a full list and Irish Water agreed to most of the conditions but… The Inspector is not obligated to place all our conditions to the Bord, nor is An Bord Pleanála required to listen to what the Inspector recommends. They very often these days, go against the Inspectors.
Before going into details, I have to say that EVERYONE behaved very kindly and friendly with little or almost no Adversarial Behaviour. There was a bit of it when Irish Water were trying destroy Inland Fisheries Ireland director Brian Beckett. It probably should have been stopped, and I was intending to point it out later, the impoliteness of it all, but people were too tired after three days. Even Irish Water’s Barrister had absorbed that this was a friendly atmosphere and that kind of cross-examination vs discussion was for the courts. Brian is one of the most knowledgeable persons of great integrity, and of absolute devotion to the Fish and the Rivers. We should all appreciate how fortunate we are to have him and his team looking after our Rivers.
Here is an interview with East Coast FM that gives some of the details I shared
There are several subject Headings for those who would like some detail.
EIA Case
The process of the Oral Hearing was flawed by the fact that at the hearing Irish Water gave us new material that was never part of the Planning Process and should have been. At 17:30 on Monday in 5 minutes, I found out what putting the discharge into the “head of the works” (which is all that was said in granting planning permission) really meant in a verbal explanation. I needed then to study up until 3:00 am to return at 9:00 am and produce my counter argument. This information will not reach the public and will never be seen by you and others who deserve to see this in proper sustainable planning. This was only one of the many new things like the methid how Irish Water are going to give us the limited 5ML/day “Compensatory Flow”. Something so fundamental should be part of the planning process and available for 6 weeks for you to comment on.
This objection that we made at the Oral Hearing was noted. Even such bad practice on behalf of the Planning Office and Irish Water, will not send this back to WCC.
The legal case for and EIA is sound and unshakeable. If someone is interested, write a comment and we will send it to you. That too is likely to be ignored.
Irish Water says 5ML/day was good since 1865 and the river was good, so we are going back to that!
This was picked arbitrarily and then on Monday backed up with Science done to prove that the arbitrary figure is correct. All of the data we have on flows is from 1950-1978 or mid-last century! There are “spot flows” taken a few days without having rain data or the raw data supplied. Any flow is nonsense without know if it rained two days before because the river can swell 5-7 inches from two nights of moderate rain. To illustrate the nonsense of this, I presented the picture of the place where the flow data was collected 70 years ago.
The little shed is now 3 meters away horizontally and 3 meters vertically from water. What is more evident is that Irish Water’s claim all is the same as it was for the last 150 years. Can you imagine what that gorge looked like in 1950 for water coming up to the red arrow on the picture above.
But unfortunately I think our argument for more water fell on deaf ears and will not be taken up. What we know absolutely is that the 5ML/day is 1/4 of what we are getting now, being leaks or not.
Fish Stocks
Brian Beckett and the IFI made the point that at Ashford and Newrath the fish quality went from GODD to HIGH in the last 2 years, parallel to us having more water. Irish Water wanted to destroy this argument completely, therefore the attack on him. Their attack was three pronged. First they said the increase was based on the decommission of the Ashford Treatment Work. We countered with the fact that surely it had some bearing but not of the increase in Ashford since that is above where the treatment works is! The second attack was that the EPA lists the status to GOOD still. IFI explained that this was in discussion, they had not updated their numbers and that they take the lowest value overall. The third point was that the status was GOOD before 2007 when the leaks started. IFI explained that the WFD only started then and there were not the statuses at that time. They were pressured to say that probably the status if compared would perhaps be equivalent to GOOD and Irish Water took that as a confirmation that the status has not changed, against our national experts on Fish.
I promised to put up the photos and video of the spawn. The fish are so resilient that in early November when we had two weeks light rain, there was enough water and the Salmon at sea knew that it would be the only opportunity and rushed up river for the spawn. Here is a video taken of just that and two more of the care and kindness of the Vartry Conservation and Angler’s Club shown to the fish as they only take sea trout on a catch and release program.
We have been allowed to present our case in an Oral Hearing. The time and place has not yet been decided but we will post it as soon as we have it. This was granted because of the significant national or local interest. Everyone is invited although space can be limited. We ask you to be present on the day as this illustrates your commitment to the Protection of the River Vartry. Our small river is a “Champion” and shows its diversity in surviving and thriving against strong adversity. We will hopefully be allowed to show some “Never before seen” footage of the river in Spawn this year. We have been careful about showing this, because we feared Irish Water would turn this against us and say, see the River thrives.
Now it is the time to show that nature is miraculous and gives us ample time to correct our ways. Where we would have floods, we had drought this year and have even now though the whole winter still have the same dangerously low water condition. Yet in the only two weeks when the water rose 6-8 inches, the Salmon knew and were waiting even thought it was very early for the Spawn. They knew it would be there only opportunity and we have even had Salmon experts say “You must be mistaken, that is not possible”. Well, I won’t spoil it for you. Come to the meeting and see for yourself. Our beautiful, historic, brave little river still survives. It shouldn’t have to fight and 100 years from now, people will come and marvel at the River that defied all odds.
We have had several supporting objections lodged with An Bord Pleanala, including one from our Wicklow County Councillor, Derek Mitchell. Derek has been keeping an eye on water issues in Wicklow for a long time and has a keen interest in seeing that we are treated well. He also has an interest in the history of the Vartry and the Blessington Lakes and those that suffered when they were first built. He found this Photo taken in 2016 in building in Gardiner Street, Dublin, 1. ,Enamel sign from the 1800,s promoting Vartry water! This was a revolution in its time, “Power. Particular about his drink. Flaw in the glass, fresh Vartry water.”, as Joyce put it.
Thank you everyone for you concentrated effort to fight for River Vartry. We have seen 11 independent Observations against the Planning application so far. Tomorrow we will see if there are a few more that made it under the wire as the date for submissions was Thursday the 12th of May.
The summary of most of the Objections was the call for an Independent Environmental Impact Assessment rather than Irish Water saying “Believe us, we don’t need an EIA!”. The fact that they admit in their application that they will damage the River both in Construction and Operation was not overlooked and certainly affected the overall trust in Irish Water.
Many of the Objections pointed out the irresponsible and flawed science use to say that the pollutants would be within EU specifications. Irish Water claimed that the new discharge was 35% of the flow of the river, when there is no records that have ever been taken, showing what is the flow in the river. This was a blanket figure, not taking into account the difference in flow during drought and flood. Without a comprehensive study of flows in the river and figures of discharge vs. flow during the whole year, taking into account of global warming, you cannot take these figures seriously.
What was interesting was the tone of the objections from the Riparian Owners. They used words like “insist” and “demand” and are exercising their Riparian Rights and Responsibilities. This is an important change as Irish Water cannot abstract more water or pollute without the full consent of all of the Riparian Owners according to Common Law. This attitude is supported by the Office of Public Works in their publishing a page on Riparian Rights and Responsibilities. They state “You have the responsibility to pass on flow without obstructing of polluting the water otherwise affecting the rights of the owners downstream.” The Treatment Works has this responsibility to us. We are willing to go as far as it takes, even to the High Court, to defend our Rights before we will allow the River to be destroyed.
This kind of protection of a River by the Riparian Owners is unique in Ireland, in history, and possibly in other countries. We are committed to seeing that our treasured resource of the Vartry River is kept safe for future generations, and would like to feel that Wicklow County Council and Irish Water would step back and think about the importance of this to all of us, before putting 2.5 times the pollution into the river and completely cutting it off from its source.
The Vartry Angling and Conservation Club has been instrumental in getting experts from the UK, The Wild Trout Trust, to travel over and survey our River. We can not thanks them enough for the most comprehensive study of the Vartry River since St. Patrick stepped out of his boat and onto the banks of the River Dee, as it was once known. After my extensive all the historical documents on the River, this will be the one looked at in 200 years from now.
Thank you Luke for your perseverance to making this happen.
The full document is attached here and can be read and studied. River Vartry Survey The purpose originally was to look at the possible reconstruction of the Weir at Ashford, but we can now follow this in our future efforts to improve and keep safe the river. Their comments on the Weir should be followed and efforts should be made to make the Weir look nice, but without reconstructing it and following the guidelines indicated here.
The funeral of Madelaine Jay is at Nun’s Cross Church today at 12:30 and I think that her passing at 95 years old should be marked by the importance she has played to the River Vartry and for her contribution to Ashford. In reflection, I was struck but the fact that along the river were several important women who’s lives were wound around the river. Madelaine Jay and Maureen Gelletlie both spent their lives caring for and looking after our heritage along the river; Mount Usher Gardens and Hunter’s Hotel. Madeline Jay helped to preserve Mount Usher Gardens from 1980 when she took over from the Walpole family. In 2007 she decided to invite the Donald Pratt and his son to take over the café. Bringing the Avoca brand and the Pratt’s stewardship to the Gardens has re-energised them and helped with it’s long term preservation. Further down at Hunter’s Maureen’s sons, Richard and Tom, continue to care for and preserve Hunter’s. The Pratts, the Gelletlie, and the Jays are members of the River Vartry Protection Society and help to make sure the river remains a clean, vibrant part of our lives. We give a parting thanks to Madelaine as she goes on a new journey.
We also take the moment of New Years to comment on the Weir at Ashford which has traveled somewhere down past Mount Usher! It has been completely destroyed by the flooding and a gaping hole left where the concrete once was. This is a problem. Does Wicklow County Council have the resources to fix it? Can we make sure that the Wicklow County Council will fully consult with the Fisheries Board before doing anything? The Weir has a purpose to keep the levels of the river above that minimum height while not presenting an obstacle to the fish traveling above the weir for spawning. The previous weir was poorly constructed from the standpoint of the fish, but no weir will harm them too. It is a double edged sword but the correct people to deal with its new design are the Fisheries as it is difficult to find the correct solution. We have been in contact with the Fisheries and they are monitoring the situation but it is up to the Wicklow County Council to find the money and to consult the Fisheries for their expertise in this matter. Hopefully a solution will be found.
