ECOFACT has undertaken a number of Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) for Wind Energy Projects both in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Surveys completed included specialist bird surveys for bird species such as Red Grouse and Hen Harriers, as well as habitat mapping assessments, faunal studies, fisheries assessments and freshwater ecological impact assessments.

Recent wind energy projects undertaken by ECOFACT have included fisheries and aquatic ecology impact assessments for upland wind farm developments at two major sites on the Limerick/Cork/Kerry border at Cordal and Knockatarriv and also at a site in the Slieve Aughty Special Protection Area (SPA), Co. Galway.

ECOFACT have also carried out full Ecological Impact Assessments for proposed windfarms including a recent development at Lealetter in Co. Galway. This projected involved full habitat and flora surveys, monitoring of breeding birds (red grouse and raptors) on the site and full mammal surveys.

Furthermore ECOFACT have undertaken a suite of Article 6 Appropriate Assessments for proposed wind energy developments located in Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in the west of Ireland.

Roe Valley Hydro Scheme

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) proposes to restore a small Hydro-Electric Power Scheme (HEPS) at the Roe Valley Country Park (RVCP) near Limavady, County Londonderry. The River Roe is an important fishery for salmon and sea trout and, along with its tributaries, is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC Code UK0030360). The primary reason for designation of this site is the presence of the Annex II Atlantic salmon.

ECOFACT prepared the water quality, fisheries and aquatic ecology impact assessment for the scheme. During the baseline survey of the river a significant population of the Annex II listed brook lamprey was recorded in the river.

Owenafinna Hydro Scheme

ECOFACT recently completed a fisheries and aquatic ecology impact assessment for a small hydro scheme on the Owenafinna River, Co. Kerry. The watercourse is recognised as an important salmon and seatrout river, with good stocks of brown trout. ECOFACT also carried out sampling for the protected freshwater pearl mussel as this watercourse contained suitable habitat for this species.

Large Hydro-electric schemes exist on some of the largest rivers in Ireland for example the Rivers Shannon, Lee and Erne. Large hydro-electric schemes are also operational on the River Liffey and the Clady/Crolly Rivers. All of these schemes are currently operated by the Electricity Supply Board (ESB). ECOFACT has been involved with a number of fisheries management programmes in all the above catchments. On the River Shannon we have undertaken catchment wide surveys of juvenile salmon and completed both downstream smolt census studies and assessments of upstream migrations of adult salmon through the dams at Parteen at Ardnacrusha. We have also been involved with the operation of the salmon hatchery at Parteen and the management of the salmon fishery at Castleconnell.

We are concerned about the continuing decline of salmon in the River Shannon and are currently recommending that a full review of fish passage (upstream and downstream) provisions at Ardnacrusha, fish trapping practices at Parteen, and water management on the old River Shannon be undertaken. It is clear that there is a need for new fish passage structures to be installed on the Shannon dams. We also recommend that any plan to abstract water from the River Shannon for the Dublin Region should not prevent the restoration of increased and variable flows to the Old River Shannon in the future. The current compensation flow (10 m³ sec^-1) provided by the ESB on the Old River Shannon is inadequate to maintain both its geomorphology and ecology, and should be reviewed in light of recent flooding and obligations under the Water Framework and Habitats Directives.

ECOFACT has recently completed an assessment of a number of options for a proposed pumped storage hydroelectric scheme in the Derrynasaggart Mountains. The studies undertaken included a gill netting assessment of 4 lakes and an electrical fishing assessment of the streams flowing from the subject water bodies. A comparative impact assessment comparing the likely impacts of the proposed scheme affecting each aquatic system was prepared. A detailed Ecological Impact Assessment and Article 6 Appropriate Assessment was completed for the selected development site.

ECOFACT has been commissioned to carry out a fisheries and aquatic ecology impact assessment for a proposed pumped hydro-electric scheme on Carrigadrohid reservoir, Co. Cork. This site is located upstream of the existing large hydro-electric scheme on the River Lee. We are now in the final stages of completing this project.