Flood relief works in Templemore are expected to be completed by the end of March 2024.
The Works have been ongoing since 2017 and are being delivered by Office of Public Works direct labour.
The town of Templemore lies on the River Mall, which drains a catchment area of 22km2 that includes parts of the Kilduff and Devil’s bit mountains, before flowing into the River Suir two kilometres further downstream.
The town has a long history of flooding.
Feasibility studies revealed that the properties upstream of Templemore belong to a separate flooding problem.
These are now being treated as such under their own Small Works programme managed by Tipperary Council.
The study has also confirmed that in addition to direct flooding out from the river inappropriate development and construction may have exacerbated this condition.
The project being delivered consists of a 70m-long inlet channel starting in the Mall River just downstream of Abbey Cottage.
• a new outflow from the lake to run under Blackcastle Road to the inlet channel
• a defence line north of the town with Debris and Gravel Traps and a small Drop Weir.
In addition a segment of the River is relocated by constructing a new 750m long channel (with a 7.5m base-width) that begins in Shortt’s field and finishes 230m downstream of Small’s Bridge. As this new channel will operate all the time, its environmental needs are different to those of a traditional diversion, and in order to aid fish movement, there are no long culverts.
Ultimate completion will be subject to favourable weather conditions and third party agreements, which are being progressed by the Office of Public Works.
