COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

HEADED ITEM NO 5.

REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF THE ADVERSE WEATHER OVER RECENT MONTHS ON PARKS DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES.

The major part of the work of the Parks Department takes place outdoors and involves horticultural activities such as tree and shrub planting, moving, grading and seeding of soil, land drainage works, grass cutting and herbicide applications. These activities are particularly vulnerable to poor weather conditions, specifically prolonged periods of rainfall.

It is for this reason that development works are programmed to take place during the drier months of the year which normally occur between late April/early May and September. It is for this reason that a commitment to carry out landscape works usually includes a reference to weather conditions.

Construction works are less vulnerable to rainfall but other factors such as low temperatures are of significance for works involving concrete and tarmac.

The summer of 2008 (and summer 2007) displayed exceptional unseasonal adverse weather with prolonged periods of heavy rainfall.  The poor weather conditions have had a significant impact upon the outdoor works and maintenance programmes arising from unseasonally high water tables and water logged grounds. It has been a common site this summer to see ponds and small lakes forming on the grass surface of parks and open spaces around the county. A casual walk across any of the parks and open spaces during the summer months this year would invariably have required the use of boots.

Grass Cutting:

Grass is cut in parks and on open spaces as part of a grass-cutting programme.  During the grass-cutting season it is cut as frequently as possible, which varies from 12 to 18 days depending on weather conditions, staff availability, machinery breakdown etc.  The poor weather this season has frequently resulted in the interval between cuts being extended. 

It is not possible to cut grass in parks, on open spaces and particularly on football pitches, when the ground is waterlogged. To do so would result in damage and rutting due to the weight of the machine. When ground conditions are wet but where it is possible for the ground to support the weight of the tractor, the grass is flattened by the wheels of the machine before the blades can cut the grass. This results in a poor quality uneven cut. This typically occurs when grass cutting takes place during heavy rainfall and also causes wet grass to accumulate in the mowing machinery which in turn can lead to stoppages to clear the machine and an increased risk of breakdown.

In addition, cutting grass during unsuitable weather conditions results in grass, soil and other debris being carried onto roadways and footpaths by machinery.

Herbicide Application:

In order to achieve optimum results herbicide application should be carried out in calm dry weather conditions.  Such conditions do not always coincide with periods of peak weed growth. However, herbicide applications made during suitable conditions require a dry period of four to six hours after application to ensure maximum take up of the herbicide by the plants. On many occasions this summer, herbicide applications made during dry conditions have been washed off by heavy rainfall shortly afterwards resulting in the failure of the herbicide to work and necessitating a repeat application. Herbicide applications have also been repeatedly postponed due to prolonged periods of unsettled showery weather. 

Development works:

These works involve moving of soil, grading, drainage and seeding operations associated with the construction of footpaths, playgrounds walls and railings and other such construction. These works are programmed to take place during the drier summer months when the soil can be worked. The working of wet or waterlogged soil destroys the soils structure and renders it hostile to plant growth. The finishing of ground works i.e. the final cultivation and seeding requires relatively dry weather conditions. If the soil is wet, it clumps together and cannot be worked to a fine tilth suitable for seeding. Wet soil also causes machines to clog up and stop working. Working soil in wet weather is also more likely to result in mud going onto public roads and streets brought by machines generating complaints from the public.

General Maintenance:

Best results for general maintenance works such as pruning and tidying of planted areas, seasonal bedding schemes, football pitch drainage, goalmouth re-sodding and the installation of new planting schemes are also obtained under drier weather conditions. While many of these works continue during unsettled weather, it is often on a stop-start basis. When the weather deteriorates, as it often did this summer, the works are often stopped for several days until the ground has dried out sufficiently for the works to re-commence.

The summer of 2008 has broken several meteorological records with up to 200% of normal rainfall experienced over the period from June to the end of August. The poor weather continued in September when it was hoped that some drier more settled weather would permit us to catch up on delayed works. At this stage, it is likely that ground works will have to be deferred to next year as the chance of fine dry weather recedes with the onset of winter.