Mr. Brian Hayes, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), has welcomed the decision by ESB to carry out a trial reduction of the existing target water levels on Lough Ree.

This decision may help to alleviate seasonal flooding in the Shannon Callows and was taken in consultation with Waterways Ireland and the OPW.

The Minister said: "Following consultations between the OPW, ESB and Waterways Ireland, ESB will change on a trial basis the existing control regime. This will remain in place until the publication of the Flood Risk Management Plan for The Shannon Catchment. It will provide for a lowering of the Spring/early Summer target levels in Lough Ree. By increasing the storage capacity in Lough Ree this change may reduce somewhat the risk of summer flooding in the Callows.

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"If the recent period of low rainfall continues, conditions may be suitable to carry out an experiment promised as part of the CFRAM process to examine the efficacy of drawing down Lough Ree on foot of a five day forecast of future heavy rainfall. This can only be done when the waters released at Athlone will not cause waterlogging in the callows downstream. This exercise will also provide valuable calibration data on the behaviour of the waterbody."

(CD)