Tag Archives: Floods

Funding boost for Killeenmore

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I have spoken about Killeenmore a few times on this blog recently and how I was disappointed to see them miss out on the first round of funding announced last month for flooding relief works in the local area.

Good news this week as I have kept onto our Dáil reps and the council officials and got word through Deputy Fitzpatrick’s office that Killeenmore will now be granted a flood relief allocation of 20,000 this year, with work due to start in May.

This is badly needed and we will keep a watching brief to ensure delivery.

Flood Relief Funding for Co. Kildare

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Funding has now been announced for flood relief works in Kildare and the government has made a multi-million available to local authorities for such works. Funding has been drawn down by Kildare County Council for the following projects:

Minor Flood Relief & Coastal Protection Programme 2010 - Kildare County Council

  • Butterstream, Clane Construction of flood relief structures €356,142
  • Ardclough Construction / Replacement of canal & road crossings €306,410
  • Confey, Leixlip Upgrade culvert €66,556
  • Newtown, Kilcock Construct overflow pipeline €237,912

Total  €967,020

I am disappointed to note that Killeenmore, Sallins is omitted also no mention of Johnstown (although this may have been allocated separately as was discussed in detail at council recently). Much work has recently been completed at Kerdiffstown Sallins to address the culvert issue which caused the Waterways flooding but there may need to be additional measures there in time also.

Killeenmore is in most urgent need of flood relief works and I will be asking why the omission.

Updates on Killeenmór

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I attended a meeting last Wednesday night, organised by the residents of Killeenmór to discuss the recent and recurring flooding issues. The meeting was also attended by Cllr. Liam Doyle, Cllr. Brendan Weld and Michael Fitzpatrick (who had to vote in the Dáil) was ably represented by his aide Johnny Callaghan.

killeenmor
The map above shows some the areas affected. The Morrell river flows under the canal and alongside the railway. When it overflows the culverts under railway see it spill over onto nearby fields & houses.

We discussed the root causes which included increased drainage demands from infrastuctural developments ranging from the M7 upgrade to the railway tracks. Some work was done at the time of the motorway upgrade, including upgrading of bridges and some banking of ditches but a lot more is now needed. In a sense the problem is constantly moving downstream as the issues at Johnstown are now manifesting in places like Killeenmór and the neighbouring Turnings townland. The Painestown and Morrell rivers intersect and both join the Liffey eventually.

A comprehensive drainage landscape survey is required and I understand from Deputy Fitzpatrick’s office, that this is underway involving both the Office of Public Works and Kildare County Council. The full course of the Morrell has been walked by officials and a report should be drawn up shortly to see what’s needed.

A report was drawn up some years ago but never implemented, or at least only partially, however I feel the political will is onboard now to make something happen. I will stay close to it and keep the pressure on.

Fresh flooding at Kileenmór

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Morrell OverflowThe Kileenmór region just outside Sallins was flooded again last weekend for the third time in three months. There are maybe twenty houses along this road and they have been hit each time it rains with water on the road, in the gardens and in some of the houses. The water is coming from the Morell stream which flows nearby and joins the Painestown river shortly afterwards. There are many possible routings for this water and some of these form a relief valve however the overspill goes across a field, through a set of culverts under the railway line and right onto this road and all its occupant houses.

I have been down at the location a few times recently when this has happened and I brought Michael Fitzpatrick TD with me on Saturday morning. We drove around courtesy of a resident in a 4×4 as no normal car could get through the feet of water across the road. I know Councillor Liam Doyle also visited later that day. Anecodotal evidence suggests the situation has worsened since the motorway upgrade as surplus surface water increasingly swells the streams.

There is a small aqueduct by the 14th lock where the Morell goes under the canal and it is just downstream of this that the problem occurs. At the aqueduct there is a sluice gate beside Kileen golf club which appears to be perennially closed. Whilst this does not cause the problem it doesn’t help matters either. Sluice Gate

I feel a comprehensive drainage report needs to be compiled for the whole region from Ardclough down to Johnstown. Whilst this straddles at least two electoral areas (Clane and Naas) it needs to be considered in tandem. We have been in touch with both areas about this and I hope to arrange a meeting onsite shortly. Will post here with updates.

Prime Time on Sallins Flooding

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Last night (8th Jan, 2010), RTE Prime Time screened a program on the floods in Sallins, amongst other places.

I spoke to the program makers, on camera, for about thirty minutes, however I did not feature in the eventual program. I did show them around the local landscape and bring them to the site of the culvert etc where they interviewed both myself and Brendan McCauley (who did make the program for about 5 seconds!).

The technical information was not bad however the program gave the impression of a state of inertia. I feel that whilst there were many faults preceding the situation (principally lack of any maintenance on the culverts) there has been progress since which was not reflected. In the immediate aftermath, a number of meetings were held and a dedicated committee was setup to progress the engineering issues with the council. That committee had a meeting with the council before Christmas and I understand all sides viewed it as positive. Since then the council have begun a drainage survey of the surrounding lands and I believe the target is to have an upgraded culvert in place by month end.

So things do appear to be happening, albeit at a slow pace. I do not imagine there will be further public meetings however I expect the committee that was formed arising from the initial meetings will be getting together and furthering their work with the council. As I have further updates, I will post on here.

One remark that was most unhelpful was that from the Minister, John Gormely TD.  He remarked, almost flippantly at the end, that the estate was “built on a flood plain” and what would the residents expect? A casual remark, in my view and an uninformed one at that. I have stated in the past exactly why I believe the Waterways flooded and a flood plain does not come into it. I have raised this with Deputy Fitzpatrick and he is seeking a clarification with the Minister so the correct facts can be put on record from the department.