Overview

The Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with Donegal County Council, have commissioned the Raphoe Flood Relief Scheme to address flooding in the town.

Objectives and Project Need

The overall objective of the works is to implement a Flood Relief Scheme for Raphoe town that will ensure that properties and people are protected insofar as possible from the effects of flooding from the surface water run off caused by intense localised rainfall in the upper catchment area.
Raphoe has been subject to acute fluvial flooding in the past. This flood risk is well documented and has been subject to hydrological and hydraulic analysis, flood risk assessment, public consultation and development of a preferred option through the Raphoe FRAM Study.

How the work is being delivered

The FRAM Study has identified primary and secondary measures to address flooding mainly by intercepting and diverting or storing surface water before it reaches the areas at risk. The Flood Relief Scheme will firstly refine these measures before designing them in detail in conjunction with Environmental Impact and Appropriate Assessment.
Primary Measures – construction of two open diversion channels with clay embankments, one to the north and one to the west of Raphoe Town.
Secondary Measures – a series of smaller localised measures within Raphoe to deal with excessive rain falling directly over the town including storage areas, small embankments and diversion routes.

Proposed Solution

The Flood Relief Scheme will comprise three stages, as follows:

Stage I:

Engineering Design – Identify Preferred Option and Strategic Cost Benefit Analysis
Environmental Impact Screening and Appropriate Assessment
Lands Valuation Survey

Stage II:

Full Cost Benefit Analysis
Public Exhibition

Stage III:

Detailed Design & Scheme Confirmation by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
It is proposed that the Flood Relief Scheme will be constructed directly by the Office of Public Works once Confirmation has been attained and all detailed design has been finalised.

Public Participation

The Project will include opportunities to participate in public consultation, as well as project information and updates on progress including through this website and events.
The project information team can be contacted with queries / submissions by both email and post.