Cllr O'Loughlin statement on flooding risk
PLUVIAL FLOOD RELEASE AT POULAPHOUCA (Fiona O'Loughlin)
Should not pose imminent threat to residential and urban properties.
Owing to the number of communications I’ve had since last night, I’ve contacted some officials with regards to the expected flood release from Poulaphouca Dam today and over the coming days.
Firstly, please realise that Blessington Reservoir (built in 1940) has recommended water height limits; when that limit is reached or exceeded, it is necessary to release water via the Poulaphouca Dam, in the interests of structural safety for the dam. Please let me stress, the ESB who manage the reservoir and dam release, work very closely with Kildare County Council and hence, have flagged notice of said pluvial flood release.
The excessively heavy rainfall over the past few months and the levels in Blessington Reservoir are under the radar of the ESB and KCC at all times. There will be possibly two flood releases today, with an increase from 30 cubic meters a second to 32 cubic metres. When the Council notice referred to possibly flooding in areas, it was referring more to areas where say tributaries or streams enter the flow of the River Liffey, when these tributaries are also recording unusually high levels owing to rainfall.
€10m has been invested in extensive alleviation works in recent years in Co Kildare (funding from the Office of Public Works), in Kilbelin, Newbridge; Ballymore Eustace, Butterstream, Clane; Johnstown, Celbridge, etc. The ‘mid-Liffey’ area is mentioned as a possible risk, rather than a definitive impact and flooding today should not impact on residential areas.
Fire Services are also on standby and working with ESB and KCC in the case of emergency. Areas that could be affected include lands in the area of Newbridge College; where the Morrell enters the Liffey near Turnings Staffan; Celbridge, Clane and an area outside Leixlip but again, the alleviation works already carried out in these areas should prevent any major problems - and flooding is not expected to impact on residential properties/areas.
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I can only stress the message I’m hearing is that urban areas and vast residential areas in Co Kildare are not at imminent risk from pluvial flood releases at Poulaphouca Dam.
Let us hope also the atrocious rainfall recorded in December is not repeated over the coming days. Clearly, owing to road flooding over the past few days, areas of South Kildare require long term alleviation works and I will support my colleague Cllr Martin Miley and KCC members in achieving this. (photograph shows high water levels at Blessington Reservoir).
