Ardnacrusha Power Plant - Environmental Consequences

Environmental Consequences

The opening of the scheme had, and continues to have, a significant environmental effect on the part of the Shannon bypassed by the head-race canal, from Parteen Villa north of O'Briens Bridge to about a mile north of Limerick City. This length of river, especially that running past Castleconnell and the Falls of Doonass was in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries world famous for fishing, particularly Salmon fishing. The diverting of water to the power station had a disastrous effect on this, for two main reasons: Initially, there was no fish pass at Ardnacrusha to allow the Salmon to migrate further up the river; this was later rectified. Secondly, the reduction in water flow down the natural channel encouraged more fish to either migrate towards the head-race canal, or to the Mulkear river instead. The problem continues to this day, and the Salmon fishing is now incomparable with the period up to the 1920s. Other species of native fish have also been affected by the low water levels.