Ireland's Environment: a millennium report. Chapter 9 - Inland waters

Publication Year

2000

Document Status

Withdrawn

Abstract

The most recent overview of the state of the inland waters covers the period 1995-1997. This shows a continuation of a trend of increasing slight and moderate pollution of the river system, which has been recorded since the late 1970s and is attributed mainly to eutrophication. Of the 120 lakes surveyed in 1995-1998, 19% showed chlorophyll concentrations indicative of a lesser or greater intensity of eutrophication; these enriched lakes represented approximately 35% of the total lake area surveyed. A national groundwater survey, which commenced in 1995, has shown that there is no widespread pollution of individual aquifers but that local contamination is not uncommon. Of greatest concern is the detection of faecal coliforms in over one-third of the groundwater samples tested, emphasising the need for improved protection of these waters.

Document History

This document is part of a larger document, Irelands Environment: a millennium report, which has been split into parts for ease of use.

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