Series 6, Episode 4
FLOODING/DROUGHT
Groundwater lakes or turloughs – where water lies hidden within the soil and rocks underground – dominate the west of Ireland. They’re hugely important as a source of drinking water and connect into our rivers, lakes and ecosystems… but they also contribute to devastating flooding events. In this episode, we meet the researchers who are using satellite technology to monitor and map Ireland’s turloughs to develop effective flood risk management systems for the future. And what of that other hugely damaging weather extreme, drought? It may surprise you to know that Ireland is one of the European countries most at risk from drought. We investigate how looking back and learning from our past may provide clues to managing and mitigating the impacts of drought and future weather extremes.