Munster Blackwater
| River Blackwater (An Abhainn Mhór, An Abha Mhór) | |
| River | |
 River Blackwater at Fermoy | |
| Country | Ireland |
|---|---|
| Province | Munster |
| Counties | Kerry, Cork, Waterford |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Funcheon, Araglin |
| - right | Bride |
| Source | Mullaghareirk Mountains |
| - location | County Kerry |
| - elevation | 229 m (751 ft) |
| - coordinates | IE 52°11′31″N 9°14′28″W / 52.192°N 9.241°W |
| Mouth | Celtic Sea |
| - location | Youghal Harbour, Cork |
| - coordinates | IE 51°56′31″N 7°49′59″W / 51.942°N 7.833°WCoordinates: IE 51°56′31″N 7°49′59″W / 51.942°N 7.833°W |
| Length | 169 km (105 mi) |
| Basin | 1,200 sq mi (3,108 km2) |
The Blackwater or Munster Blackwater (Irish: An Abha Mhór, The Big River) is a river which flows through counties Kerry, Cork, and Waterford in Ireland. It rises in the Mullaghareirk Mountains in County Kerry and then flows in an easterly direction through County Cork, through Mallow and Fermoy. It then enters County Waterford where it flows through Lismore, before abruptly turning south at Cappoquin, and finally draining into the Celtic Sea at Youghal Harbour. In total, the Blackwater is 169 km (105 mi) long. The total catchment area of the River Blackwater is 3,324 km2.[1] The long term average flow rate of the River Blackwater is 89.1 Cubic Metres per second (m3/s)[2]
The Blackwater is notable for being one of the best salmon fishing rivers in the country. Like many Irish and British rivers, salmon stocks declined in recent years, but the Irish Government banned commercial netting of salmon off the coast of Ireland in November 2006.
Tributaries
Tributaries of the Blackwater include:
- River Awbeg (An Abha Bheag, "the small river"),
- River Dalua (Abhainn Dalua),
- River Bride (An Bhríd),
- River Allow (Abhainn Ealla),
- River Araglin (An Airglinn),
- River Finnow (An Fhionnabha, "the fair river"),
- River Funshion (Abhainn na Fuinseann, "the ash river").
Settlements
Towns along the river are Youghal, Cappoquin, Lismore, Fermoy, Mallow and Rathmore.
Blackwater Estuary
The Blackwater Estuary was listed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on 11 June 1996.[3]
References
- ↑ South Eastern River Basin District Management System. Page 38
- ↑ South Eastern River Basin District Management System. Page 38
- ↑ "Ramsar List" (PDF). Ramsar.org. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
External links
- Special Area of Conservation
- Salmon fishing on the Munster Blackwater, from Salmon Ireland
- The Munster Blackwater and associated navigations
- The Lombardstown to Mallow Canal