The importance of keeping rivers clean for fish, birds and wild animals as well as for human pleasure is incontrovertible. But for years the health of Irish rivers has been in serious decline, with the stark figure of just 23 of them remaining pristine in recent years compared to 500 in the 1980s.
And while the causes of river pollution are widely known – inadequate wastewater treatment plants, intensive agricultural practices and runoff from streets, footpaths and roads after heavy rainfall and flooding, sustained efforts to clean them up have been slow.
Not so for the River Dodder, which rises in Kippure, comes down through the Glenasmole valley in the Dublin Mountains, and then through Tallaght, Firhouse, Knocklyon, Rathfarnham, Templelogue, Rathgar, Milltown, Ballsbridge and into the River Liffey at Ringsend.
Over the past 12 years or so, an active group of volunteers called Dodder Action has held regular clean-ups, water quality monitoring and species mapping to foster community engagement on to appreciating the intrinsic value of this natural amenity.
“We are a community-led organisation which has stemmed from clearing litter from the river and along its banks,” says Victoria White, from Dodder Action.
In the past, the River Dodder was used to power mills for flour, paper and cloth, with records citing up to 45 mills and factories along the river at one point. This level of industry led to serious pollution and in many ways resulted in local communities turning their backs on the river.
But in recent years, efforts made by Dodder Action, local angling and scouting groups, with support from the Local Authorities Water Programme, have helped turn things around. “If we work together, we can make the river into the amenity it should be for the people of Dublin. But, it does require a team of volunteers up and down the river, minding it and nudging the local populus to understand that it must be cared for by the communities that use it,” White adds.
She believes that if the river looks inviting, people won’t litter it as much. “They will learn to understand and value it for what it is – a wildlife corridor from the mountains to the sea; an amenity for people who can’t get out of Dublin; a salve for people’s mental health; a place for people to exercise and stay in contact with biodiversity that’s on the river.”
Since the summer of 2023, Dodder Action has participated in a citizen science project, Urban Citizen 6.3.2, which aims to improve water quality in the Dodder, the Santry, the Tolka and the streams in Carrickmines/Kill of the Grange, through community-based monitoring.
Dr Susan Hegarty, professor in physical and environmental geography at Dublin City University, leads the project. “All of this work is to inform waterway recovery from both a nutrient and biodiversity perspective. And the promotion of river stewardship among citizens of the catchments in this way enables people to manage their local water body,” she adds.
Frances Fitzgerald of Dodder Action has been very involved in the monitoring of water quality in the Dodder. “It gives us knowledge that we can then pass on to the local authorities. But, it also makes people aware that it’s not just the litter but also the water quality that impacts on species. You need the insects to feed the fish and the birds and if the water quality is poor, many insects won’t survive in it,” she says.
Eanna Gallagher, the community waters officer for local authorities in Dublin, says it is very important to work with community groups to improve water quality of rivers.
With the increase in storms due to climate change, initiatives such as putting in rain gardens with planter boxes to slow down the flow of water through the city will be crucial. “If everyone had a rain garden, it would reduce the pressure on the storm water network. Also, if people had more permeable surfaces in their gardens, it would also take pressure off the waste water systems,” Gallagher adds.
I’ve seen a kingfisher, an otter, and badgers and foxes are so prevalent. It’s a precious resource in our city
— Broadcaster Anne Cassin, on the Dodder
Residents of some of the South Dublin suburbs which the River Dodder runs through will remember various incidents of flooding into the back gardens and lower floors of houses along its bank in recent years. The proliferation of hard surfaces in driveways at the front of houses and paved back gardens are often cited as a reason why the floods caused so much damage.
As part of their efforts to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the River Dodder, Dodder Action commissioned documentary film-maker John Gormley to make the educational film, This is your River.
Through the film, Gormley, who works with Dublin Community TV, celebrates the work of Dodder Action, Dublin Anglers and others who are passionate about the River Dodder. Starting in September, Dodder Action intends to bring this film into primary schools in its catchment to spread the message about the importance of local people getting involved in looking after the river.
RTÉ broadcaster Anne Cassin, who marked the premiere of This is Your River in June, says she has gained a much greater appreciation of the bird life – little egrets, ducks, swans – on the river since she has lived close to the Dodder. “I’ve seen a kingfisher, an otter, and badgers and foxes are so prevalent. It’s a precious resource in our city,” she says.
Kevin O’Sullivan, Science and Environment Editor of The Irish Times, who also lives near the Dodder and spoke at the event, suggests “it is probably Dublin’s best example of thriving nature in the heart of the city”.
While praising the work of Dodder Action, he says, “We should all be aware that almost with the flick of a switch, water systems can go into decline, which underlines how important the Dodder is and that it cannot be let fall into a pattern of decline.”
He also acknowledges the role of green spaces in cities to bring broader benefits of cleaner air, enhanced wellbeing and the capturing of carbon through extensive native species, especially trees. “Conservation actions such as the eradication and control of invasive alien species and problematic native species, sustainable management of ecosystems and the establishment and management of protected areas all bring strong benefits.”
Gallagher adds that a particular issue that needs to be addressed in future is the removal of barriers to allow the passage of fish. The Dodder Anglers, who stock the river with brown trout for fishing from March to September, are conscious that many organisms living in and beside the river depend on insect life to survive – and that insect life depends on the presence of clean, unpolluted water.
One potentially contentious issue is the completion of the Dodder Greenway, which when finished will follow a 17km route from Bohernabreena Reservoir to the mouth of the river at Ringsend.
One thing that is clear, however, is that all those celebrating the biodiversity along the River Dodder don’t want “a cycling highway” along the river, but instead a shared space that cyclists, walkers and people with buggies can use in harmony with nature.
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