Cork evaluation to attempt to lessen flooding risk

The Office of Public Works in conjunction with Cork County Council engineers are due to carry out a flood-risk assessment and management study focussing on the Cork harbour area.

Traders and homeowners in Cork have suffered millions of euro worth of damage in recent years due to flooding. Around Eu10 million worth of damage was caused to Cork in October 2004 after the worst flooding in the city in over 40 years.
Cork county engineer Ned Flynn said the study of the Lee and its tributaries was being made to measure the city's and county's risk of flooding. He stated that the study would take 15 months and would involve areas such as Crosshaven, Passage West, Monkstown and Ringaskiddy.

"Basically it will be the Lee catchment and its tributaries. Our first job is to quantify the risk before we can go looking at local measures to prevent flooding," he said.
A computerised 3D model of the Cork area is set to be built which will pinpoint areas most at risk. Initial surveys have been completed with consulting engineers set to be employed in due course.

An assessment of the building of houses and industrial estates in areas prone to flooding will also be carried out.
The initial assessment is likely to be completed by March, 2007.