Contents:
Events Calendar
Belturbet Town
Branch History
Ballinamore-Ballyconnell
Canal
Lough Erne
European Wanderings
Out and About
Overseas Tourist Information
1994 Cruising Guide
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A Cruising Guide and Anthology of the Ballinamore
- Ballyconnell Canal
Published by the Erne-Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Rally Committee
1994
for the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
The Institute of Engineers of Ireland
Reconstruction of the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell Canal
Thomas Bree, BE,MSc,PhD,CEng,FIEL.MICE
Senior Consultant ESB International
Brian O'Mahony,BE,MIEI
Consultant,ESB International
Extracts from a presentation to a joint meeting of the Civil Division
and Water Environmental Section of the Institute on 1st March 1993
Synopsis
It is not often that a contractor finds that river engineering works must be completed from within the banks of
a river,so that the grazing areas of whooper swans are not disturbed.such is the case on many sections of the reconstruction
of the ballinamore and Ballyconnell canal.
Environmental and social issues are at the forefront of the £30m reconstruction scheme now underway.the schedule
of work includes construction embankments,channel excavation,dredging of seven lakes,entirely replacing ten bridges
and making repairs to a further 24,reconstructing eight locks and repairing the remaining eight,rebuilding weirs
and fishpasses,installation of eight pumping stations and development of six public mooring areas.The options and
proposals of the implementation plan are presented in this paper and aspects of the design and construction are
described.
Schedule of Work
Constructing embankments, with weirs and by-pass channels, between the Shannon and the summit at Lough Scur. Deepening
and widening sections of the Woodford river between Lough Scur and the Erne. Protecting the banks with rock-armour
where necessary and with timber piles in soft ground.
Carrying out the work from one bank only, where possible and using floating plant to stay clear of the land altogether
in environmentally sensitive areas, so that natural habitats are preserved.
Major dredging of the Ballymagauran Lake and upper Lough Erne,plus minor dredging of the access to five other lakes,with
transportation of spoil to designated land based areas.
Entirely replacing eight bridges,and underpinning and making major repairs to a further 26.
Reconstructing eight lock chambers using existing masonary and repairing the remaining eight.Providing all sixteen
locks with automated gates and sluices.Rebuilding fish weirs and fishpasses at all locks on the Woodford section.
Installing pumps at each of the eight locks leading from the Shannon to pump water up to the summit level.Investigation
and lining of impermeable lime stone in a rock cut.
Providing six public mooring areas with berthing facilities, sewage pump out facilities, water supply, toilet block
with shower and laundry room, refuse disposal.
Landscaping and planting along the worked river banks and mooring areas.
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