Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when it is envisaged that the pilot water level monitoring exercise on Lough Ree and Meelick Weir involving controlled raising and lowering of weir boards at selected locations will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16539/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The OPW meets regularly with both organisations to review matters relating to the River Shannon. As part of these consultations and in the context of the ongoing work under the Shannon CFRAM study being undertaken for OPW by Jacobs Engineering, it was agreed to explore the possibility of carrying out a water level monitoring exercise, involving controlled raising and lowering of weir boards at selected locations, subject to favourable hydrological conditions.

For the monitoring exercise to go ahead three criteria have to be satisfied. The first is that the level downstream of Athlone must be sufficiently low not to cause flooding in the callows. The second is that the level on Lough Ree is not below the recently agreed ESB lower target operating level in early summer and the third is that a significant rainfall event is forecast.

At the moment only the first of the above criteria is clearly satisfied. The situation is being monitored closely so that when suitable conditions prevail the exercise can proceed.