Name of project or plan:
Dredging and Installation of Pontoon, Gangway and
Associated Anchorage at Davitt's Quay, Dungarvan,
Co. Waterford by Dungarvan Town Council
(MS51/7/258)
Name and location of Natura 2000
site:
The proposal is located within Dungarvan Harbour
SPA (Site Code 004032), a recognised wetland of
international importance under the Ramsar
Convention.
The Conservation Objectives for Dungarvan Harbour
SPA are to maintain the favourable conservation
condition of the wintering bird species listed as
Qualifying Interests in the SPA and to maintain the
favourable conservation condition of the wetland
habitat in Dungarvan Harbour SPA as a resource for
the regularly occurring migratory waterbirds that
utilise it.1
qualifying interests as follows
 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
wintering
1

Light bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla
hrota wintering

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna wintering

Red breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
wintering

Oystercatcher
wintering

Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria wintering

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola wintering

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus wintering

Knot Calidris canutus wintering

Dunlin Calidris alpina wintering

Black tailed Godwit Limosa limosa wintering
Haematopus
ostralegus
NPWS (2012) Conservation Objectives: Dungarvan Harbour SPA 004032. Version 1.0. National Parks and
Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
Description of the project or plan

Bar tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica wintering

Curlew Numenius arquata wintering

Redshank Tringa totanus wintering

Turnstone Arenaria interpres wintering

Wetlands
The proposed works comprise:
1. Removal of the existing Pontoon
2. Dredging of approximately 8000m3 of material
from the Harbour for disposal in a land based site
3. Installation of 115m pontoon with access
gangway and chain and concrete block anchorage
system.
Is the project or plan directly No
connected with or necessary to the
management of the site (provide
details)?
Are there other projects or plans
that together with the project or plan
being assessed could affect the site
(provide details)?
No
Describe how the project or plan The works could potentially;
(alone or in combination) is likely to
 disturb the intertidal mud habitat Impact on
affect the Natura 2000 site.
feeding ground during the dredging and
construction phases
 Impact upon water quality during the dredging
operation
 Disturb bird life due to increased boating
activity
Explain why these effects are not The dredge and construction phases of the proposal
considered significant.
will result in increased noise, movement and activity
within the harbour area.
This activity will be localised within the inner harbour
area and the proposed timing of the works (AprilSeptember) should minimise impacts upon the
wintering bird species.
There are sufficient
alternative feeding areas upstream and further out in
the harbour area to accommodate any temporary
disturbance caused by the works and will not cause
a loss in feeding area.
The location of the proposed dredge area proposes
is not used by the qualifying species of the SPA to
any significant degree. The timing and mitigation
measures outlined in the proposed methodology will
minimise impacts from the dredging.
The sediment analysis conducted in support of the
proposal show that the concentrations of
contaminants were recorded at levels below the LLC
thresholds as per Annex 4 and Annex 5 of the
Guidelines for the assessment of dredge material for
disposal in Irish Waters.
Dredging, and the
subsequent disposal of the spoil at a licenced land
based site, are not likely, therefore, to result in
deterioration of water or sediment quality within the
SPA.
The area of wetland habitat directly impacted by the
proposed works is 0.4314Ha and represent approx
0.02% of the total area of wetland habitat within the
SPA. Loss of habitat therefore will not be significant
In summary the proposed works will not result in a
habitat loss, there will not be significant disturbance
to key species and there will be no habitat or species
fragmentation or significant disturbance to bird
species that use these sites. There will be no direct
discharge of pollutants into the environment during
the works and water quality will not be affected.
Given the location, scale and timing of of the
proposed works, the uncontaminated nature of the
material to be dredged the relatively short duration
and small scale of the works it is concluded that
there are not likely to be significant effects as a result
of this proposal on the Conservation Objectives of
the Dungarvan Harbour SPA.
Who carried out the assessment?
Marine Institute, on behalf of the MLVC, 10th July
2013