STORM IMPACT
THE CLARE EXPERIENCE.
Tom Tiernan SE, Clare Co Co
Cyril Feeney SEE, Clare Co Co
Overview
1.Inland Flooding – large scale in
Ennis and South East Clare
2.Inland Flooding – lesser scale at
various other locations
3.Wind Damage
4.Coastal Storm Damage
Inland Flooding
• Ennis – town centre flooding and
several locations in environs – 1995,
1999 and 2009
• Coincidence of elevated river levels,
high tide and South West wind
• Approximately 80% resolved by
relief schemes to date
Inland Flooding 2
• South East Clare – extreme
inundation in mostly rural area in
Counties Clare and Limerick
• Very elevated river Shannon forced
to bypass Ardnacrusha – most recent
extreme, 2009.
• Future – depends on CFRAMS
recommendations to emerge in 2015
Inland Flooding 3
• Smaller scale flooding issues in North
and East Clare
• Backup of overwhelmed subterranean systems- Karst Limestone
Effect of Inland Flooding.
• Roads become impassable in most
cases
• Resolution – Flood Relief Schemes,
Drainage Schemes or Road Upgrade
or various combinations of same
• Some success in recent years in
Clare
Wind Damage
• Coastal – public and private property
– Dec/Jan/Feb of 2013/14
• Coastal and inland on Feb. 12th,2014
– public and private property
including large scale tree damage.
• Highest recorded gust in country in
Shannon – almost 160km/hr – 1,000
trees lost.
Tree Damage
Climate Change
Coastal Storm Damage
• Weather pattern change in MidDecember, 2013
• Development of Extreme Low
Pressure centres in Atlantic
• Coincidence of high winds off low
centres with associated ocean swells
impacting directly onto coast at time
when Spring Tide were peaking
Storms
• Coastal storms occurred on January 3rd
and 6th and on February 1st
• All in coincidence with extremely high tide
in early morning
• All exacerbated by ocean swell varying
between 0.5 and 1m
• Slight variation in wind direction resulting
in different damage locations
Severity
• Damage at 35 public infrastructure
locations along entire coastline in
January
• Devastation in private areas also eg
Doonbeg Golf Club
Nature of Damage
• Demolition/undermining of sea walls
• Resort facilities destroyed
• Dune systems compromised or
removed
• Roads compromised or destroyed
• 1000’s of tons of sea rubble and
shingle thrown long distance inland
• Examples to follow:
New Quay
New Quay
• Over 3km of coast road damaged
• Coastal defences found to be
inadequate and need to be
reinstated/strengthened
• Total estimated cost of remediation:
€3.8million
Lehinch
Lehinch
• Rock armour defences destroyed
over a distance of more than 1.5km
• Promenade walls damaged/removed
• Promenade undermined and
pulverised by wave power
• Damage to car parks, playground
and a variety of other facilities
• Total estimated cost of remediation:
Cloughaninchy
Cloughaninchy
Cloughaninchy
Cloughaninchy
• Dune system obliterated or seriously
eroded over a distance of 2.2km
• Up to 20 houses / Road network left
exposed to wrath of next Spring tide
• Potential for Seafield Pier/ peninsula
to be cut off permanently
• Estimated cost: €5.2 million
Kilkee
Kilkee
Kilkee
• Several significant breaches in
historic sea walls
• Major wall destabilisation resulting in
collapse of Strand Line
• Destruction of extensive paved
spaces, walkways and various other
structures.
• Estimated cost €1.3m
Kilbaha
Kilbaha
Kilbaha
Kilbaha
• Total destruction and undermining of
significant sections of sea wall
• 150m of Regional road completely
removed along with supporting sea
wall – no road through village for 6
weeks
• Total estimated cost of remediation:
€3.5 million
Works completed
• Clean up at all 40 sites (twice in
some cases)
• Roads, tourism and harbour
infrastructure restored to fulfil
normal function
• Additional restoration works carried
out and ongoing at tourist resorts
The Cost
• Overall estimated damages:
• January
• February
€27.2 million
€10.9 million
• TOTAL
€38.1 million
Cost Breakdown
• Estimated damages by category:
• Clean up
€1.39 million
• Roads
€3.12 million
• Tourism
€2.04 million
• Piers/Harbours €0.34 million
• Coastal Restoration €13.06 million
• Coastal Strengthen €14.27 million
• Contingency Sum €2.9 million
Funding
• Confirmation of availability of €16.8
million to date based on January
application
• Application to strengthen coastal
defences damaged in January €12.1 million – decision awaited
• Application for funding to deal with
February damage - €10.9 million –
decision awaited
Issues
Issues to be considered to facilitate
implementation of remediation:
• Planning requirements
• Environmental issues/designations
• Prioritisation
• Procurement of consultants
• Procurement of works
• Timescale and programme
Main Issue
Thank You