Success of OPW Flood Relief Schemes during significant weather event

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan, has welcomed the news that flood relief schemes in Cork and Tipperary have prevented a substantial amount of damage to property during the recent significant weather event in southern counties.

The severity of the weather event this week has in some areas been described as more significant than that which caused the flooding in 2009 and 2015, with close to 100mm, or 4 inches, of rain falling in a 24 -hour period at some locations, during a status orange rainfall weather warning.

The OPW flood relief schemes operated successfully in Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bandon, Douglas, Mallow, Fermoy and Clonmel during the period of extremely heavy rainfall and subsequent increases in river water levels at these locations.

OPW collaborated with the ESB in ensuring that the OPW’s flood forecasting system (a key part of the proposed flood relief scheme, which is currently operating on a trial and development basis) was available to them in addition to their own system. Information on the levels of dam releases that might cause risk to property, was made available to the ESB (by the OPW and the City Council, in addition to any information the ESB had already in this respect), to support them in making appropriate decisions on discharges.

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