Blanket bog restoration aids water storage for Dublin

A ground-breaking project involving the restoration of blanket bog to increase water storage levels in an area which supplies much of the Irish capital is now underway.

The scheme is being led by the Irish government’s National Parks and Wildlife Service and bankrolled by chip maker, Intel.

This initiative will see 60 hectares of drained bog in County Wicklow re-wetted to increase water storage levels in part of the River Liffey headwaters by an expected 50-90 million litres.

These headwaters supply the Blessington reservoir, a drinking water source for the Greater Dublin Area. The bog restoration will also protect biodiversity, improve carbon storage, and is likely to improve water quality.