Why are we losing Blue Dots?

RBMP 2018-2021
RBMP 2018-2021

Generally Blue Dot waters tend to be in the upper section of river catchments. For this reason, they are affected by some land use activities more than others. In addition to this Blue Dot waters are more commonly found along the Western seaboard and in mountainous areas e.g. Wicklow and Slieve Bloom Mountains. The dominant land uses in these areas are Forestry, Agriculture and Peat extraction and low density one off housing.

The profile of pressures that impact on our Blue Dots is slightly different to the pressures impacting on our Good Status water bodies. While agriculture is the most significant pressure on our good status waters, forestry is the most significant pressure on our Blue Dot waters. Forestry is a pressure on 51 (40%) of our Blue Dot waters, followed by hydromorphology in 43 (34%) water bodies, agriculture in 35 (28%) water bodies, peat extraction or disturbances in 16 (13%) water bodies and domestic waste-water in 13 (10%).

Activities that impact on our Blue Dot waterbodies in order the number of waters that are affected:

  1. Forestry
  2. Hydromorphology
  3. Agriculture
  4. Peat
  5. Other
  6. Domestic WWTP
  7. Urban WWTP
  8. Industry
  9. Mines and Quarries

Where are Blue Dot waterbodies and how many of them are there?

Blue Dot water bodies occur throughout the country. Though it is true that Blue Dots are more common along the western seaboard and in mountainous areas, they are present throughout in most counties.

There are 384 Blue Dot water bodies across the country. This is about 9% of all water bodies.
It is important that we think about the connectivity of water bodies as well as where they are in the country. Many of our coastal waterbodies are Blue Dots and these receive the water that flows out of our rivers and lakes. So even if the river near you is not a Blue Dot it might flow into Blue Dot water body further downstream. For this reason, we are all to some degree connected to and responsible for our Blue Dots.

Waterbody Type How many Blue Dots?
River 319
Lake 37
Transitional 12
Coastal 16
Totals 384

Areas for action with Blue Dot waterbodies

There are 190 areas for action where LAWPRO carry out local catchment assessments. 45 of these areas have at least on Blue Dot waterbody.