Conservation staff from ABC Council’s Climate Sustainability and Parks (CSP) department have been working in partnership with Armagh Fisheries Ltd recently to deliver an exciting water quality improvement project on the Butterwater river, a major tributary of the Callan River.
The project funded through a grant from Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s (NIEA) Water Quality Improvement Scheme (WQIS) involved a number of elements including a 6km long river survey to determine the current status of the river with recommendations for future improvements works.
As well as the survey, 150 metres of nature-based revetment works were installed helping to prevent cattle poaching of exposed riverbanks which leads to siltation of instream habitats.
The project also involved a community engagement and citizen science programme for aquatic conservation delivered through a series of environmental education / activity days with local community members.
The last of these events was held at the Armagh City Hotel and was attended by over 50 individuals representing some 18 local groups and organisations all working to improve river systems and the water that flows into Lough Neagh.
Presentations at the event included information on previous project works and successes, online training modules on catchment management, education programmes on water quality and rivers for young people and current funding streams available for groups to apply for further project work.
The event was a great success and it is envisaged that the partnership between ABC Council’s conservation staff and local community groups looking to protect and enhance our important rivers and loughs will continue to go from strength to strength in the coming years as funding is made available.
