Two year project underway aimed at restoring Meenbog

A TWO-YEAR project has started aimed at investigating the medium-term impact of the landslide at Meenbog, between Tyrone and Donegal, in 2020.

The North’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA), Edwin Poots, said that the scheme would also look at remediating any damage caused to the river.

The collapse happened in Autumn 2020 at the site of a windfarm construction near Ballybofey, just across the border. A large quantity of peat slid down and into the Mournebeg River, which is a key spawning ground for salmon.

Mr Poots was responding to a question at Stormont from West Tyrone MLA, Daniel McCrossan.

The Minister said the Loughs Agency had led a cross-border, cross-agency effort to quantify the damage to protected species and habitats downstream of the site and to ensure the effective restoration following the peat slide.

Mr Poots explained the Loughs Agency had now concluded the initial short-term investigation into the incident and prepared a programme of remediation.

“The investigation into the short-term impacts of the peat landslide included water chemistry analysis, electrofishing for juvenile salmonids and salmonid spawning surveys, also known as redd counting,” Mr Poots said.

“These were carried out by Loughs Agency staff and concluded in early 2021. In addition to the short-term impact, the Loughs Agency has commenced a two-year project to investigate the medium-term impacts of the peat slide and remediate any damage caused to the river.”

He said DEARA was continuing to work with the Loughs Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Northern Ireland Water, Donegal Co Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the issue.

West Tyrone SDLP MLA, Daniel McCrossan, gave the comments by Mr Poots a “cautious welcome”.

But he said only time would tell if the measures are a success.

He also called for costs associated with the work to be recovered, rather than being burdened on the taxpayer in the North.