THE area around the site of a major bog slide which impacted on rivers north and south of the border has been stabilised, according to the Loughs’ Agency.
The agency was responding to concerns from the Ulster Angling Federation (UAF) over work being carried out that the site of a windfarm in Co Donegal where the peat slide started.
A major operation was launched when huge swathes of bogland slid from the Meenbog windfarm near Stranorlar into the Mourne Beg River and the Derg River.
Dramatic footage of the slide, showing trees and bog floating downhill, was widely shared on social media. Following the slide on Friday November 13. It was confirmed that the incident was impacting on “fishery, flora and fauna” in the Mourne Beg and Derg rivers as well as the Corgary trout farm.
All work on the development of the windfarm was stopped pending a full investigation. However, on Monday the UAF expressed concern over what appeared to be the construction of a road at the site.
Developers said the road was part of remedial works following the bog slide.
A spokeswoman for the Loughs’ Agency, which is leading the response to the incident, said the agency carried out a visit at the site of what she described as “the serious pollution event” on Wednesday.
“The developer of the wind farm in Meenbog from which the peat slide originated has been carrying out significant works under their emergency response plan to reduce the risk of further peat slides and to mitigate the impact of the initial peat slide.
“The emergency works undertaken which are almost complete have stabilised the situation,” the spokeswoman said.
The Loughs’ Agency said the site had been inspected on an ongoing basis by Donegal County Council.
“During these inspections, the only works that were witnessed as ongoing on site were those that were related to the emergency works necessary to prevent further bog slides or mitigate the impacts of the initial bog slide,” she said.
