|
Groundwater aspects – where are we now? |
|
|
|
|
By Donal Daly, Environmental Protection Agency
Until recently, the focus on groundwater mainly concerned its use as drinking water, which is why it is more commonly known as ‘well water’ and ‘spring water’ – it provides about 25% of our drinking water supply in Ireland.
In addition, groundwater is critical to maintaining river flows, wetlands and surface water ecosystems. In most rivers in Ireland, more than 30% of annual average flow is derived from groundwater; in dry weather this figure can rise to over 90%. Therefore, if human activities have a significant detrimental impact on groundwater, it can affect not only drinking water supplies but also surface water and terrestrial ecosystems. The appreciation of the link between groundwater, surface water and ecosystems is one of the main drivers for the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Since 2001, significant progress has been made in Ireland in implementing the groundwater aspects of the WFD: |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
The many wonders of a wetland |
|
|
|
|
Pic: The new facility which makes Castle Espie a centre of excellence for biodiversity and wetland conservation in Northern Ireland.
By Wendy Scott
Do you know where half of the world’s medicines and three-quarters of the world’s food come from? Some may know the answer; others may be surprised to discover that the answer is from wetlands.
Wetlands include ponds; marshes; swamps; lakes; rivers, their flood plains and coastal waters; they also support as diverse a range of wildlife as the areas they are found in – from the tropics to the poles.
Inshore Ireland paid a visit to Ireland’s only Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre -Castle Espie in Strangford Lough, Co Down. Castle Espie is owned by the registered charity, ‘The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’ (WWT), which is a leading conservation organisation saving wetlands across the world.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Freshwater Focus 
