Proposed Improvements—Lower Division.
From Ballynunnery to Rathtoe, I do not propose to make any alteration in
the river, there being no injured land, and the fall being precipitous,
except a little above Rathtoe bridge, where it will be necessary to
improve the course and remove the obstructions.
From Rathtoe to Staplestown a new river-course will be required. The
give-and-take principle to be adhered to as much as possible.
A bridge to be built at Cartney’s ford, and foot bridges to be provided
at intervals as may be found necessary. The mill power at Staplestown
must be done away with, and the river bed there lowered 8 feet.
The fall in the improved channel from Rathtoe to Staplestown will be 3
feet 6 inches per mile, and the bed of the river-course will average 9
feet below the lands adjoining, whereas at present it ranges from 2 to 4
feet; in addition to this increased depth the course will be
comparatively straight, and the fall made greater and more fully
available. Staplestown bridge would suffice as far as breadth of
waterway is concerned, but it is very doubtful whether it would bear the
required underpinning, and I therefore include the cost of a new bridge,
which may not be necessary when the present foundations comes to be
bared and examined, but the expense, whether of underpinning or
reconstruction, will be chargeable to the county.
The fall from Staplestown to Springfield weir will be 8 feet in a mile,
and the new river bed will be about 5 feet lower than the present.
The
Ballinacarrig bridge may, I think, be made to answer by underpinning.
Proper weirs of masonry should be constructed at Springfield and Steam
mill, of sufficient length to carry away the floods without throwing
them back on the lands above. A portion of the expense of these
structures should be borne by the mill owners, who will derive much
benefit from the substitution of staunch and
permanent weirs for the imperfect mounds upon which they are at present
dependent for a supply of water to their mills.
From Springfield weir to the junction of Quinagh stream, and a little
lower, I propose to deepen and improve the river bed to a limited
extent, so as to take advantage of all the available fall which occurs
between Springfield and the Steam mill; and by the formation of an
embankment along the sides of the river, advantage may be taken of Steam
mill fall to discharge a portion of the drainage waters below that weir.
The several tributaries and main drains in connexion with them
throughout this division to be deepened and improved, and new culverts,
&c. erected where required.
The tributaries are very extensive; on the south that termed M‘Donnell’s
midstream passes through Rathcrogue and Castletown, and reaches Ballybeg
and Linkardstown; then there is the Grangeford river, the Aghalona and
White streams, and the Ardristan, on the east, the source of which
latter is within one mile of the Slaney.
The only mill that is met with on these tributaries is M‘Donnell’s, at
Rathcrogue, with which it will not be necessary injuriously to
interfere.
The bottom breadths and gradients of the proposed new channel, are given
in the following table, commencing at Miltown.
Table to go here?
In my calculations for the improved course, I have
proceeded on the principle of keeping flood-water surface at least
3 feet below the level of the lands
adjoining. This I conceive to be necessary for complete drainage, and I
have confidence in stating that the depths shown upon the section
accompanying this Report, with the breadths and gradients set forth in
the preceding table, will be found sufficient to produce the desired
results.
The material excavated from the new channel is to
be applied, as far as possible, to the filling of the old river-course,
so that land will be made thereof in lieu of that required for the above
named purpose. In this way it is hoped that the purchase of land will,
in a great measure, be avoided, and the expenditure on that head
confined to compensation for such temporary damage as may arise, by
injury to the crops, or the formation of spoil banks, as in some places
be improved to the greatest extent, next in
degree are the lands occasionally under water, and after them, those
suffering from continued wetness, though not absolutely flooded. Then
lands are included whose drainage is impeded, either for want of
sufficient fall, or by reason of unwillingness or indifference on the
part of adjoining proprietors to co-operate with each other, to take
advantage of a fall where it does exist, as is sometimes the case,
especially in reference to boundary streams.
These several grades of improvement I have endeavoured to estimate, both
as to quantity and value of each; and after careful consideration, and a
calculation as much in detail as the circumstances would admit of, I
have computed that the average increase in annual value, upon the whole
quantity of 9,636 acres, may reasonably be estimated at
6s. 8d. per statute acre.
The great majority of the lands which are flooded will, in my opinion,
be raised in value full 20s. per acre, whilst a
considerable portion will be improved to a much greater amount, as prime
land will be created where useless marsh has hitherto existed.
The profit, then, which may be confidently expected to arise, according
to what I have stated, will be £3,212 per annum. This would be
equivalent to 12 per cent, upon the gross estimate of cost, or something
more than 13 per cent, upon the portion of it which will be chargeable
to the proprietors.
Some idea of the
extent of the district proposed to be relieved may be formed from the
amount of tributary streams and main drains whose improvement is
provided for in the proposed works.
Independently, then,
of the main river itself, there are 16 small tributaries, their united
lengths is 35 miles, and the principal drains I have estimated at 95
miles, making an aggregate length of 130 miles of streams and drains to
be improved, in addition to the Burren river itself.
The examination of the
land which will be benefited, and the ascertaining of the names cf the
numerous proprietors and lease tenants, has been attended with much
difficulty, and necessarily occupied much time. I have used my best
endeavours to collect accurate information in this respect, and have
prepared a schedule exhibiting the names of the several townlands, the
names (and addresses) of the proprietors and lease tenants, so far as I
could ascertain them, and the total quantity of injured land belonging
to each. In this part of my inquiry, I feel bound to acknowledge the
valuable and ready assistance afforded by the several gentlemen
connected with the locality to whom I applied for information.
This list is appended,
as well as the schedule of bridges, &c., before referred to. I have also
prepared a diagram map, and a longitudinal section of the river on a
reduced scale, showing the intended bottom line
there will be an overplus of
excavated material, which must be formed into banks along the sides of
the cut in such manner as to be available for the purposes of
cultivation, and sufficiently distant from the channel edge to prevent
all probability of slipping, or injury to the slopes.
In
preparing my estimate, I have assumed that a new river-course must be
made throughout. I have made a small allowance for such portions of the
present channel as may come in aid of that proposed, and with that
exception, the total quantity is included in the estimate.
I have observed that the mills upon the Burren river at
Carlow are very scantily supplied with water in the summer and dry
seasons. It is to be regretted that such should be the case in a
locality otherwise so favourable; and it has suggested itself to me that
a pond or reservoir of considerable extent might be formed between
Ballinacarrig and Staplestown without causing any serious injury to the
lands, except the portion which would necessarily be sacrificed to that
object; and the fall here being 8 feet per mile, a valuable supply of
water could be kept in reserve for dry seasons by the construction of a
proper weir and embankment across the valley at a well-selected point.
This being a proposition entirely for the benefit of the mill-owners,
and having no useful connexion with the drainage measure, I do not
include it in my plans or estimate, and merely allude to it as
being a simple and feasible mode
of materially enhancing the value of the mill property at Carlow, at a
comparatively trifling cost. It may, therefore, be worthy the
consideration of those interested, as their special application would be
necessary to secure the execution of the work.
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