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Ireland’s Environment 2012
50
Transitional and Coastal
Water Quality
A total of 121 transitional (estuaries)
and coastal water bodies were
assessed for the period 2007–
2009 for WFD ecological status
classification (Table 4.4). Of these
55 (46%) were classified as either
high or good status with over 50%
classed as moderate status and 3%
assigned poor status.
In European terms, Ireland’s
transitional and coastal waters
are relatively good – as might be
expected from Ireland’s western
location on the North Atlantic.
This is borne out by the OSPAR
Commission assessments (OSPAR,
2009), which found that problem
areas are confined to estuaries and
the nearshore coastal zone. While
transitional waters are under pressure
due to the majority of Ireland’s
population living at or next to the
coast, they still rank in the top five
across Europe. For coastal waters,
Ireland ranks at or close to the top in
terms of proportion of water bodies
meeting high status or high and
good status. 70% of Irish coastal
waters already reach this standard.
Urban wastewater treatment
plants pose the biggest threat
to transitional waters, but major
improvements have been seen where
new treatment plants have been
installed (e.g. Sligo). Nitrate from
agricultural sources is a particular
issue in some estuaries such as the
Argideen, near Courtmacsherry in
Cork, where extensive sea lettuce
growths have given rise to odour and
nuisance problems. As with rivers
and lakes, the reduction of nutrient
inputs is the key to improving the
status of Ireland’s transitional and
coastal waters.
Table 4.4
Transitional and Coastal Water Bodies Ecological Status 2007–2009 (Source: EPA)
Number of
Water Bodies
% Area (km
2
)
%
High
19
16
1879
46
Good
36
30
729
18
Moderate
62
51
1500
36
Poor
4
3
5
<0.01
Bad
0
0
0
0
Total
121
4114