04/02/2026
Thank you to Clare FM for hosting & us this morning. Surfrider Foundation Europe is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the protection and enhancement of Europe’s lakes, rivers, ocean, waves and coastlines. The West Coast of Ireland Chapter is our local group of volunteers & activists.
County Clare is home to some of the worlds’ most beautiful waterbodies, full of life & energy with incredible biodiversity, from the Burren to the Shannon Estuary. Our natural environment is our most valuable resource, which supports our local communities’ health & economies. More people every day look to our waterbodies as a source or recreation, leisure & wellbeing that this connection to nature provides.
All our towns & villages are also connected through the watershed, as our wetlands connect the land to the sea.
World Wetlands Day provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the steps we can take to protect them. Wetlands are also rich in cultural heritage, thus we look forward to this event tonight to bring to work towards honoring them, as they are increasingly vulnerable & fragile.
The most recent EPA Ireland reports showed that only 52% of surface waters are in satisfactory ecological condition, marking a decline from the previous cycle. 25 rivers in County Clare have been assigned "Poor" status, which is the 4th highest in the country. The decline in wild salmon in our rivers by 90% can be attributed to poor water quality.
Significant pressures exist from forestry, agriculture, hydromorphology and wastewater, which result in pollution from source to sea. Specifically, our efforts have been targeting improvements for the Inagh River & Catchment.
The Ennistymon and Lahinch Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) require significant upgrades due to ongoing capacity and treatment deficiencies. EPA investigations revealed that the Lahinch Road pump station frequently causes raw sewage overflows into the Inagh River, and the Ennistymon plant lacks inlet screening. There are proposed upgrades to the WWTP, due to be completed by 2030, however Uisce Éireann Irish Water cannot guarantee tertiary treatment & works have yet to commence.
High levels of bacteria found in the pollution of the Inagh River, contribute to beach closures every year, which have a significant impact on the health & economy of our community.
In the face of this, we want our communities to consider what impact they can have to help meet the goal to restore the Inagh River to a “good” status.
We invite all members of the public to share their ideas on nature-based solutions at the event this evening at the Falls Hotel. Every individual can collectively make a difference, such as by planting riparian/buffer zones, creating Integrated Constructed Wetlands (ICWs) & sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) like rain gardens and swales, and encouraging peatland restoration, all of which filter pollutants, boost biodiversity, and enhance climate resilience.
There are many supports available through LAWPRO or the Farming for Nature Program/NWPS which local businesses, land-owners or community organisations, can all avail of funding for projects.
We’d like to see every town/village in Clare adopt ocean-friendly gardens & farms to help restore our wetlands and communities.
Have a listen back here: https://www.clare.fm/podcasts/morning-focus/restore-ballymacraven-river-association-launch-spring-river-series/
