PLANS TO alter a weir in Fermoy, Co Cork, which dates back to 1170, have been put on hold pending further examination of the proposed works following a campaign by the local rowing club to have the project scrapped.
The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources proposed to replace the existing weir on the river Blackwater with a rock ramp 62 metres wide.
Department officials said EU law required the modification to protect fish stocks. The work was planned to coincide with a multimillion euro flood plan for Fermoy this year. However, members of Fermoy Rowing Club and 3,000 locals claimed the weir only needed to be repaired. Rowers feared the modifications would mean that water levels would be lowered to the extent that they would not be able to use the river for recreation purposes.
An engineer’s report which the club commissioned suggested the cheaper and more effective solution would be to repair the weir and install a second fish pass.