The National Catchment-based Flood Risk Assess-ment and Management Programme is currently producing draft flood maps. The Programme is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works to meet national policy needs and the requirements of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive. It involves a comprehensive flood risk assessment focused on 300 areas of potentially significant flood risk, and the development of long-term, sustainable plans to reduce and manage this. Work on the draft flood maps has involved extensive surveying and analysis of river flows and the development of computer models to determine how flooding occurs. Based on this work, a range of draft flood maps has been produced.
The draft flood maps have now been produced by Jacobs Engineering on behalf of the OPW for Kilmallock Charleville, Milford and Dromcollogher. Public Consultation Days will be held in Charleville Library between 11.30am – 1pm and 1-30pm -5.30pm on Wednesday 10th Sept-ember and the same day in Kilmallock Library between 11.30am and 7pm.
Consultation days will be held in Milford on Thursday September 11th in the local Community Hall from 10.30am to 7.30pm, and the same day in Dromcollogher Library between 11.30am – 1pm and 6pm -7.30pm
The flood maps are a vital step towards identifying potential solutions to reduce and manage flood risk, but they are also important for other reasons. The flood maps will inform sustainable planning, to help ensure that we avoid building in flood-prone areas into the future. The maps will also inform the emergency response authorities to help ensure an effective response to reduce damage during flood events, and local residents and businesses will be able to determine if they are at risk from flooding, and if so, to be able to prepare for flood events. Practical advice on preparing for flood events is provided on www.flooding.ie.
The public are invited to come along on the day, view the draft maps and provide any comments they may have on them. A formal submission can be made at the public consultation.
Public consultation days for other locations deemed to be at risk will be held in due course.