Water quality improvement works have been progressing well in recent months in the Blackwater Catchment thanks to ABC staff who has been working hard to develop and deliver Riparian and In-Stream works around the Ballygawley area of the Catchment.
Ballygawley Phase 1 is a joint project with DAERA Inland Fisheries, who are delivering the instream elements of the project. Works taking place include –
- Installing fencing along rivers to help decrease erosion of banks by cattle
- Suppling and installing livestock drinkers for local farmers
- Installing field gates and stiles to provide access for farmers and local user groups.
- Planting native species of trees and riverside vegetation to help stabilise riverbanks and create a buffer strip between the river and agricultural land.
- Installing bank revetments and other in-stream works such as rubble mats and flow deflectors (to create a more diverse flow and habitat in the river channel).
The Upper Blackwater Improvement Scheme is another recently started project that entails a range of similar works to the Ballygawley scheme along a 4km stretch of the main Blackwater channel.
Other works going to tender in the coming months include improvements on the Callan River, Tynan River and Mountain Water. Riparian works on these projects will be progressed during the winter of 2020 with in-stream works commencing early in March 2021.
For more information on this and other Blackwater catchment works please contact Tom Woods on thomas.woods@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk
