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EPA Research Report: AgImpact Project

The EPA has recently published the results of Research 194: AgImpact Project: A Systematic and Participatory Review of Research on the Impact of Agriculture on Aquatic Ecosystems in Ireland.

EPA-funded research generates a scientific base to support environmental protection.

With the spatial expansion of agriculture in Ireland limited by the availability of suitable land, increases in agricultural outputs should be driven by intensification of farming in existing areas through improvements in technology and resource efficiency, within the context of EU environmental directives, such as the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) and Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), This project has developed an evidence-base for future research funding on mitigating the impacts of agriculture on aquatic ecosystems in Ireland. This was completed through review of relevant environmental and behavioural research in Ireland using a systematic review methodology and engaging with expert stakeholders via workshops and online surveys.

You can download the report from the EPA website: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/water/research194.html

Authors: Donnacha Doody, Paul Cross, Paul Withers, Rachel Cassidy, Cara Augustenborg, Andrew Pullin, Owen Carton and Seamus Crosse

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.