While the percentage of groundwater bodies and coastal water bodies in satisfactory quality is well above the European average, our rivers, lakes and estuaries are not doing as well. Only 50 per cent of rivers, 69 per cent of lakes and 36 per cent of estuaries are in satisfactory ecological health. Furthermore, while there have been some improvements, these are being cancelled out by declines during 2016-2021. There has been a marked decline in the water quality of our estuaries, with an additional 15.7% that are no longer in a satisfactory condition.
The pressures causing this level of deterioration need to be addressed. This can be done by implementing the measures identified in Ireland’s national river basin management plan and by using existing knowledge to ensure that the right measure is being applied in the right place.
- Rivers
- Lakes
- Groundwater
- Transitional (estaurine) and coastal waters
- Ireland's marine environment
- European trends