A DISASTER prevention approach – rather than waiting for the floods to arrive – has been credited with helping to avert a midwinter water disaster in the Shannon Callows area.

Galway IFA Chair, Pat Murphy, said that the actions taken  by OPW Minister and the Office of Public Works had made a major contribution to easing flood worries in the Shannon Callows area.

“The gates at Meelick – and even more importantly at Parteen, Co. Clare – helped to release the build-up of water along the Shannon channel.

“While we are lucky at the moment in having a Minister and OPW personnel who are tuned into the problems that arise, we do need a more stable structure put in place where there’s a place at the table for the farmer stakeholders,” said Pat Murphy.

There had been fears of a throwback to the horrendous flooding scenes of November 2009, when many farmers had their yards completely flooded with some houses also under threat.

After a relatively dry summer and early autumn period, the rains returned with a vengeance in October, November and in late November with around 20 inches falling across many parts of the West of Ireland.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.