Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
There has been a steady improvement in the water quality in Killarney’s Lough Leane since 1998, samples taken and assessed by Kerry County Council have confirmed.
The local authority’s laboratory staff take samples from the Lakes of Killarney at least 11 times a year for a range of significant parameters which are used to determine the trophic status of the lake.
Responding to queries raised by Cllr John O’Donoghue, the council said using those parameters, there has been a steady improvement over the past 24 years.
The conclusion of the latest report for 2021 states that the biological assessment continues to indicate a satisfactory period of several years of stable mesotrophic – or moderately productive – conditions and low to moderate planktonic chlorophyll levels.
The council said the report for 2022 should be available on the coming weeks.
Cllr O’Donoghue had asked for an update on the nutrient quality of Lough Leane from the perspective of promoting healthy fish growth.
He said a number of anglers had told him that they noticed that the fish size was getting smaller and it’s not due to increased fishing activity.
Cllr O’Donoghue also asked for an account on whether waterways within the Killarney municipal district are in contravention of the Water Framework adopted in 2023 as there are now EU fines for those found not to be up to the required standard.
Council officials said that of the 30 river water bodies in the area assessed by the Environmental Protection Agency, 23 were found to be at least good quality and of the lakes monitored in the Killarney municipal district, 14 out of 16 – or 87.5% – were deemed to be of high or good quality.
All three groundwater bodies monitored in the area were of acceptable quality.
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