Slowing the Flow: iCatch Presentation October 2026

Topic: Slowing the Flow Following the devastating floods of 2017, which severely affected parts of the North-West of Ireland, including Inishowen, a project was developed to help slow the flow during periods of high rainfall and reduce the speed at which water moves downstream. In 2021, IRT installed 69 natural flood management measures throughout Clonmany. These included log leaky dams, natural leaky dams, gully stuffing and stone check dams. These measures work by slowing the movement of water through the landscape, helping to hold water back and release it more gradually. By reducing the speed and volume of water reaching the river at one time, they can provide additional time and capacity downstream, potentially reducing peak flows and helping to alleviate flood pressure on communities and infrastructure. This talk provides insight into the project as a whole, looking at how it was developed and the work that has been carried out. Speaker Bio: Micheala Gallagher is the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Community Support Officer with the Inishowen Rivers Trust. Micheala joined the Trust last year and moved into her current role as NbS Community Support Officer in April. Her role focuses on supporting community groups across Ireland with Nature-based Solutions projects, providing advice, guidance and practical support to help communities develop and deliver projects that benefit people, water and biodiversity.