Louth ranks among worst in country regarding river water bodies ecological status

Louth had the third lowest proportion of river water bodies in Good or High ecological status between 2016 and 2021, according to statistics released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), with only Dublin and Kildare having a lower proportion.

Of the 25 monitored river water bodies in Louth in the 2016-2021 assessment period, none received a High status and just five (20%) were deemed Good. 

14 received a Moderate status and six were deemed Poor. Louth, along with Westmeath, were the only counties not to have a river water body to have a High ecological status.

Nationally, there was a decrease in the overall condition of river ecosystems between the 2010-2015 and 2016-2021 assessment periods, with 9% fewer river water bodies in Good or High ecological status.

Overall, around 51% of monitored river water bodies were in Good or High ecological status in 2016-2021, while 49% were in Moderate, Poor, or Bad ecological status.

While Louth (20%), Dublin (21%), and Kildare (21%) were the counties with the lowest proportion of river water bodies in Good or High ecological status in the 2016-2021 assessment period, the counties with the highest proportion of the same status were Cork (73%), Leitrim (72%), and Wicklow (71%).

There was a small improvement in the overall condition of lake ecosystems between the EPA's 2010-2015 and 2016-2021 assessment periods, with a 4% increase in the number of lake water bodies in Good or High ecological status.

Around 48% of the lake water bodies monitored in 2016-2021 were in Good or High ecological status, with 52% in Moderate, Poor or Bad status.

Commenting on the release, Nova Sharkey, Statistician in the Ecosystem Accounts Division, said: "This release, published as part of the CSO’s Frontier Series, looks at the condition of our river and lake ecosystems. It uses Water Framework Directive reporting data produced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compile ecosystem condition accounts for rivers and lakes.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring Ireland's water bodies as part of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). More information on the WFD in Ireland is available from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and from the EPA.