Aimed at safeguarding adjacent properties from the rising water levels on Lough Funshinagh, Roscommon County Council have made the decision to close the local road L-2005 at Ballagh.
In a statement issued this week, the local authority stated that the closure is necessary to facilitate the deployment of additional temporary flood protection measures as water levels continue to rise on Lough Funshinagh.
“Regrettably, based on current levels in the lake and predicted rainfall, Roscommon County Council has no option but to close the road and recommend that two families vacate their homes in the interest of their own personal safety.
“The duration of the road closure will depend on how long the water level in the lake remains close to or above the level of the public road. This is entirely weather dependent; however, lake levels usually peak in late March to early April so this closure is expected to last for several weeks.
“Roscommon County Council acknowledges that this road is an important link between local communities and regrets any inconvenience caused by the flooding, road closures and diversions. As the local authority, we will support the affected families in any way possible,” a spokesperson for the local authority stated.
The statement further noted that a steering committee and expert working group established by Roscommon County Council and the OPW continues to work towards a long-term solution to address the impacts of climate change on the lough and in particular, the cumulative impacts of increasing amounts of annual rainfall.
“In order to assess the environmental impacts of any climate adaptation works that may be proposed, an environmental assessment of the lough and associated habitats must be carried out over a sufficient length of time to account for seasonal variation.
“Roscommon County Council appointed consultants at the end of last year to begin this work and the work is ongoing. Once the baseline surveys are completed, a project team will identify the optimum solution to protect the environment, threatened habitats and the local community.
“A planning application will be made based on this solution with a view to carrying out the resolution works as quickly as possible. While this is a lengthy and complex process, the Council and the OPW remain fully committed to finding a viable long-term solution,” the local authority spokesperson concluded.
