Businesses in Bandon may see increased numbers of flood alerts, a local authority meeting has been told.
BUSINESSES in Bandon may see increased numbers of flood alerts, a local authority meeting has been told.
The removal of a river gauge in the river, to facilitate the dredging works, could potentially lead to an increased number of alerts being issued from the Bandon Flood Early Warning System (FEWS).
However, some of these text alerts may not materialise as flooding events in the town.
At a meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District in Bandon last week, senior executive engineer Charlie McCarthy said that the FEWS will be a small bit more conservative due to the temporary removal of the river gauge in the town which, he said, was unavoidable as part of the town’s flood relief scheme.
Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) said the FEWS, which was the first of its kind in Ireland, was revolutionary for its time, when Cork County Council launched it back in 2010. ‘The people have got great service from it and I want to acknowledge how much work it has done and how people feel connected to the County Council as a result.’ This basic system was an interim measure prior to the completion of the OPW Flood Relief Scheme.
‘The warning system continues to monitor river levels at two locations in the Dunmanway area upstream of Bandon to predict flood risk. The system will still continue to be monitored until the completion of the Flood Relief Scheme, after which the FEWS will be decommissioned,’ said a spokesperson.
‘Cork County Council wishes to thank all involved in this project including the public who have registered and embraced the system,’ he added.
