The Dunkellin River and the Aggard Stream form part of the Dunkellin Drainage District which was constructed in or around 1857 and Galway County Council has a statutory maintenance responsibility for these works. In 2010 a study on the Dunkellin River and the Aggard Stream (from Craughwell Village to Kilcolgan) was commissioned as a result of flooding that occurred in the area in November 2009.
Galway County Council is now progressing the Flood Relief Scheme to design stage and has submitted the Scheme for planning approval to An Bord Pleanála (ABP) in line with Section 175 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
The scheme includes for flood relief works to be completed along the main channel of the Dunkellin River from Craughwell to Kilcolgan (over 11km) and along the Aggard Stream which runs from the townland of Cregaclare (near Ardrahan) to its outfall at the confluence of the Dunkellin and Craughwell Rivers (over 7.5km).
A combination of river widening, deepening, culvert upgrade and replacement, bridge improvement and replacement and general channel maintenance make up the proposed measures for this scheme. The intention of the scheme is to provide optimum flood relief with minimal environmental impact whilst also controlling the overall capital investment required.