Locks will reopen for longer and winter mooring will end on the Shannon Navigation from Monday 29 June, Waterways Ireland has announced.

Following this past week’s changes in the wake of phase two of Ireland’s coronavirus recovery roadmap, daily lock operating hours will be extended to 6pm on the Shannon.

As previously reported, electricity and water services have been reconnected, and normal pump-out facilities are available.

However, Waterways Ireland service blocks will remain closed for the time being across its network of inland waterways.

And the five-day mooring rule will be in force from Monday 29 June. Boaters to not need to travel to move their vessel before this date.

Waterway users, whether on the water on on towpaths, are reminded to continue observing social distancing protocols — at least two metres from other people — and to stay within 20km of home until travel restrictions are relaxed with the start of phase three.

Waterways Ireland has provided updated roadmaps for reopening in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that drilling and site investigation works will take place on the Shannon Navigation in the vicinity of Athlone Marina from this Wednesday 27 to Monday 31 May.

The drilling will take place from a barge. A safety boat will be in attendance at all times. Master of Vessels are requested to proceed with additional caution when in the vicinity of the works.

The advisory comes as water levels across the entire Shannon Navigation are currently classed as at or below ‘ordinary summer levels’ which requires extra caution, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

​The public consultation on the draft Shannon Tourism Masterplan and Environmental Report will close at 4pm this coming Wednesday 22 April.

Members of the public can review all the documents online and make their submission through the online survey.

The list of documents available to view are an Executive Summary, the draft Shannon Tourism Masterplan, a baseline study for the Masterplan, the Environmental Report, and AA Screen Report and Natura Impact Report.

This consultation is the next stage in an 18-month process to create a definitive document to support the development of tourism along the Shannon corridor.

Led by Waterways Ireland, with Fáilte Ireland, the steering group and working groups engaged representatives from Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford, Offaly, Galway, Tipperary, Clare, Westmeath and Limerick county councils – which are all stakeholders in the longest of Ireland’s inland waterways.

The Shannon Navigation plays hosts to some 8,400 boats, according to the draft tourism masterplan currently open for public consultation.

And the figure of predominantly private leisure vessels far exceeds the number of berthing spaces, which total 4,500 across 58 locations on the inland waterways between Limerick and Lough Allen.

“While the demand for mooring outweighs supply, there are variations across the navigation in the levels of demand,” the draft adds.

It goes on to state that lock passage data implies an increase of 2,800 boat passages — from 42,700 to 45,500 — in the five years between 2014 to 2018.

And it also suggests a review of shore-based service block provision to take account of customer requirements and consider the use of ‘smart’ technologies to enhance their experience.

The Draft Shannon Tourism Masterplan is a joint initiative of Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and is part of an 18-month strategy to develop tourism along the Shannon corridor over the next decade to 2030.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the consultation will continue amid the latest Covid-19 restrictions, with stakeholders encouraged to engage online.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Shannon Navigation that Albert Lock has been reopened to navigation following successful replacement of lock gates.

In addition, the Jamestown Canal in Co Roscommon where the lock is located has also been reopened to navigation following a lowering of flood levels.

All other inland waterways facilities currently closed following on from the recent and ongoing flood event will remain closed until further notice.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users that the flood levels are receding on the Shannon, Erne, Barrow and Lower Bann inland waterways.

Operations staff are now preparing the jetties, quays, slipways and facilities for reactivation as the floods recede.

It is anticipated that it will take up to three weeks for all jetties, quays, slipways and facilities to be fully operational.

Masters of vessels and water users should be aware that surfaces may be slippery, access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated, and flood damage may be encountered in some locations.

All should proceed with additional caution while the clean-up work is ongoing.

Waterways Ireland has announced the opening of a public consultation on the Draft Shannon Tourism Masterplan and Environmental Report today, Wednesday 4 March.

The consultation documents will be available to the public both online and in the 10 county council offices along the Shannon and Shannon-Erne inland waterway corridors, and the consultation will remain open until Wednesday 22 April at 4pm.

The list of documents available to view are an Executive Summary, the draft Shannon Tourism Masterplan, a baseline study for the Masterplan, the Environmental Report, and AA Screen Report and Natura Impact Report.

Submissions can be made by completing an online survey. Surveys are also available at the host locations listed on the Waterways Ireland website and can be posted to Waterways Ireland’s Western Regional Office in Scariff, Co Clare.

The public consultation is also taking place in Northern Ireland, with documents available to view in the Waterways Ireland headquarters in Enniskillen. Relevant additional links include the NI Environmental Report and Habitats Regulations Assessment.

This consultation is the next stage in an 18-month process to reposition the combined Shannon Navigation and Shannon-Erne Waterway as a key tourism destination within Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, identifying world class visitor experiences based on the region’s natural and cultural assets.

The Shannon Tourism Masterplan sets out “a bold and integrated framework for sustainable tourism development along the Shannon and Shannon-Erne”, Waterways Ireland says.

SLR Consulting and partners were commissioned to develop this Tourism Masterplan for the Shannon by Waterways Ireland in association with Fáilte Ireland and with the support of the 10 local authorities adjoining the River Shannon and Shannon Erne Waterway.

Once the public consultation is complete, submissions will be reviewed and a final draft of the document issued.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that a number of locks on the Shannon Navigation will be closed next Wednesday 5 February to facilitate staff training.

The affected locks on the inland waterway are in Athlone; Pollboy Lock in Ballinasloe; Victoria Lock at Meelick in Co Galway; Portumna Bridge north of Lough Derg; and Sarsfield Lock in Limerick.

Waterways Ireland regrets any inconvenience this may cause and thanks its customers for their co-operation.

Waterways Ireland advise masters that the winter mooring period for public harbours on the navigations will commence on 1 Nov 2019 and will end on 31 Mar 2020.

Masters wishing to avail of Winter Mooring are required to pay the winter mooring fee of €63.50 prior to 1 Nov 2019.

Masters are reminded that Bye-law 17 - the “5 consecutive days / 7 days in one month rule” - continues to apply for masters not availing of winter mooring.

Owners are also asked to note that vessels berthed in public harbours are at the owner's risk at all times and may be directed to other harbours as operational exigencies require.

Online registration for winter berths must be made here

Steps in the Winter Mooring process are:

1. Apply online for Winter Mooring at a specific harbour
2. Receive email approval / rejection / alternative location of application
3. Follow link on approval email when received to pay winter mooring fee online

Waterways Ireland is proposing a permit system for the Shannon Navigation that could see users of Ireland’s longest river face charges for their boats for the first time, as The Irish Times reports.

Users of the Royal and Grand Canals must already pay for annual permits at a cost of €152 per vessel — and now the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways is reviewing its by-laws for the Shannon with a view to extending similar charges there, as well as spot fines for breaches of regulations.

But what might be the biggest hit to Shannon boaters’ budgets may be the end of the current winter mooring regime.

Vessels can currently be moored at public harbours and jetties for five months at a cost of €83 per boat. This would be replaced under the plan with the summer ‘five-day rule’, which itself is under review.

However, the proposals would also bring an end to the current charges for the use of locks. A smartcard system for locks and bridges was rolled out on the Shannon Navigation last autumn.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.