Lee, Cork Harbour, Youghal Bay & Bandon-Ilen Catchment Action Plan - Better Farming for Water

Why It Matters

Reducing nutrient and sediment runoff protects drinking water sources, supports biodiversity, and helps Irish farmers meet tightening environmental standards, delivering economic and ecological benefits.

Key Takeaways

• Whole‑industry campaign targets nutrient and sediment loss in Cork catchments
• Eight actionable steps guide farmers toward better water quality
• Lee and Bandon catchments cover ~4,000 km² across Cork region
• Coordinator Oshin Kley aligns advisory support for priority areas
• Campaign partners include Chagas, Carbury Group, and local stakeholders

Summary

Water quality in Cork’s Lee and Bandon catchments is the focus of the “Better Farming for Water” initiative, coordinated by Oshin Kley. The program, led by Chagas with Carbury Group and other partners, seeks to curb agricultural nutrient and sediment runoff across a 4,000‑km² area that feeds three major river systems and the Cork and Kinsale harbors.

The campaign outlines eight concrete “actions for change,” offering farmers a clear, step‑by‑step pathway to improve farmyard and land management. While much of the catchment enjoys good water quality, specific stretches still show elevated nutrient levels, prompting targeted advisory support and priority‑area interventions.

Kley emphasizes that “everyone has a role in safeguarding waters,” urging growers to adopt the prescribed measures. The initiative draws on local expertise, scientific monitoring, and on‑ground demonstrations to illustrate how reduced fertilizer use and erosion control can translate into measurable river‑health gains.

If widely adopted, the eight actions could lower nitrogen and phosphorus loads, protect downstream ecosystems, and enhance the resilience of agricultural communities against regulatory pressure, setting a replicable model for other Irish catchments.

Original Description

The Lee, Cork Harbour and Youghal Bay & Bandon-Ilen Catchment Better Farming for Water Action Plan was officially launched today, Friday, 27 March.

The Lee, Cork Harbour and Youghal Bay & Bandon-Ilen Catchment

is one of eight priority catchments - alongside the Barrow, Suir, Boyne, Nore, Slaney, Lee and Blackwater - identified by the EPA as a “catchments of concern”. These catchments will have tailored action plans with clear targets and timelines to deliver measurable water quality improvements. Collectively, these campaigns are central to improving both local and national water quality.

Establishing specific catchment campaigns is a key initiative of the Better Farming for Water campaign which has the overall aim of supporting and accelerating the adoption of actions on all farms to improve all water bodies, where agriculture is a significant pressure.

Find out more about the Better Farming for Water Campaign here https://teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/better-farming-for-water/