River gauges to provide flood risk info in Newbridge and Clane
Photo for illustrative purposes only
KILDARE County Council is in consultation with the Office of Public Works to install gauges on the River Liffey in Newbridge and Clane.
The purpose of the gauges will be to “provide long-term data which will inform flood risk management measures in the towns as well as providing real time levels” of the river, according to the council executive.
This came after Kildare-Newbridge councillors Rob Power, Peggy O’Dwyer and Chris Pender and Clane-Maynooth councillors Pádraig McEvoy and Angela Feeney as well as cathaoirleach Carmel Kelly, brought forward a motion on the agenda at the most recent full county council meeting requesting that the council “engages with relevant stakeholders to install electronic water-level monitoring stations at key locations, including Clane and Newbridge, to improve understanding of hydrological response and support climate adaptation and flood preparedness, with data made publicly available through the OPW waterlevel.ie platform.”
Cllr Chris Pender described what the councillors were seeking as “basic public infrastructure”.
The context for the motion is the “increased complexity of managing flood risk linked to climate change in the ESB-controlled River Liffey catchment” as the councillors put it.
Director of services for climate, community, environment and water Marian Higgins, responded: “Based on risk analysis under the Kildare Climate Action Plan 2024-2029, extreme precipitation, river and pluvial (due to rain) flooding will continue to increase as the weather events elements move from 'frequent' to 'very frequent' occurrences.”
Cllr Feeney questioned the current approach to flood alleviation, asking “we’re ramping up housing, who’s ramping up flood alleviation?”
Cllr Tom McDonnell remarked it is hypocrisy in trying to mitigate the climate crisis whilst increasing housing, quipping that “you cannot run with two horses”.
Ms Higgins said that the council intended to meet with ESB to review the data.
Ms Higgins’s report added that the council will continue to work closely with ESB to manage discharges from Golden Falls hydroelectric power station “as appropriate”.
The report also noted that gauge levels are publicly available on the OPW’s website www.waterlevel.ie.
