Impact of agriculture on surface water in Ireland Part I. General |
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| Authors: | Paul F Toner |
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| Institution: | (1) Water Resources Division, An Foras Forbartha, Ireland |
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| Abstract: | The inland freshwaters of Ireland are generally of good quality, a condition at least partly attributable to the relatively
small population and industrial base, which are mainly located in coastal areas. The wastes generated by agricultural activities
greatly exceed those resulting from domestic and industrial activities. However, the bulk of these agricultural wastes are
attributable to grazing livestock and are not likely to lead to pollution of waters. The disposal of manure slurries from
intensive rearing operations and silage making are the main agricultural operations which have been implicated in pollution
incidents, e.g., fish kills and lake eutrophication. Contamination of surface waters with nitrate and pesticides is not a
significant problem at this stage, which reflects the relatively low usage of artificial fertilizers and biocides in Ireland.
It is suggested that, in the long term, the main effect of agriculture on Irish surface waters will be eutrophication. |
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