COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor F.N. Duffy

"To ask the Chief Executive what interim solution to the Dodder landfill (Bohernabreena) was tabled and executed post the 2004 SDCC meeting (see below), and further to this did SDCC complete the ‘more extensive study for the final solution’ and when were the works completed.

SDCC meeting in 2004

Illegal Dumping in Dodder River “To ask the Manager what measures can the Council take to stop the illegal dumping and polluting into the Dodder River in the Clonskeagh area?”

It was noted by a Senior Executive Engineer, Environment, South Dublin County Council has advised that the pollution in question was caused by a burst dam in Bohernabreena Reservoir. The resulting flood in the river removed some waste from an old landfill site adjacent to the river. South Dublin County Council is at present assessing an interim solution to the problem and a more extensive study of the landfill will be required to determine the final solution?"

REPLY:

The embankment of the old Dodder Landfill was eroded by flooding caused by a burst dam during the construction of the Bohernabreena Reservoir in 2004. This flooding caused considerable damage to the tip head by exposing waste which was washed away and deposited along the riverbed and banks.

The Environmental Services Department in June 2004, following consultation with the Fisheries Board and Dodder Anglers Association on the matter, commenced the process of constructing a stone wall/embankment to stop further erosion and to protect the tiphead.The works carried out involved the construction with large boulders of an embankment, approximately 180 metres long by 8 metres deep, along the eroded face of the tiphead. Since the river meanders along the bottom of the tiphead it was necessary to divert the river away from the tip head. This was achieved by excavating a channel along the old course of the river, the new river course was made in such a way that a smooth flow was achieved. The works were successfully completed on 20th August 2004.