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Temporary dam to be installed after Grand Canal 'drained like a sink'

The hole at the side of Grand Canal. Picture: Caroline Quinn Expand

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The hole at the side of Grand Canal. Picture: Caroline Quinn

The hole at the side of Grand Canal. Picture: Caroline Quinn

The hole at the side of Grand Canal. Picture: Caroline Quinn

Robin Schiller

A temporary dam will today be installed at a section of the Grand Canal after it was effectively drained.

Hundreds of fish were recovered from the water in a salvage exercise after the section of the canal along Suir Road in Dublin was drained.

All boat traffic and angling was temporarily suspended along the affected area following the breach which was first noticed on Sunday.

The major leak has now been blamed on a collapsed Irish Water storm drain underneath the canal.

A spokesperson for Waterways Ireland said that efforts to repair the issue are under way today while fish were collected and relocated to other sections of the canal.

"Waterways Ireland staff came on site and immediately contacted Inland Fisheries Ireland who began a salvage exercise which took place on Sunday and continued Monday.

Collapse

"The fish collected have been relocated to another section of the canal undisturbed by the breach.

"The issue has been identified as the collapse of an Irish Water storm drain underneath the canal," a spokesperson said.

"Waterways Ireland were in contact with Irish Water and Dublin City council in relation to making urgent repairs."

It has been confirmed that a temporary dam will be installed by Irish Water contractors today and partial re-watering will then begin.

"The canal will be completely re-watered when a final repair is in place," the spokesperson added.

The collapse of the storm drain affected a 700-metre stretch of the canal between Grand Canal Dock and the lock at Suir Road in Inchicore.

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