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The Department for Infrastructure currently have no plans to remove the deposit of silt, built up in the Clanrye River at the front of Newry Town Hall, and claim it is not having any significant impact on drainage or flood risk.
The bank of silt, weeds, traffic cones and other rubbish is most noticeable during low tide and while it may not pose a risk to the water flow it's certainly an eyesore in front of Newry's most iconic building.
It's the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure Rivers Directorate to carry out watercourse maintenance on the upstream reach of the Clanrye River adjacent to Newry Town Hall.
In a reply to a query from Newry.ie a DfI spokesperson said "The silt deposit, which is only visible during low flow conditions, has been assessed by engineers’ as is not having any significant impact on drainage or flood risk."
The spokesperson added "The natural processes in many rivers means silt will return and accumulate in the same places very quickly once removed, sometimes only weeks after dredging and desilting is carried out, therefore in this case any minimal increase in channel capacity, if this area of silt was removed, would be short-lived."
With low tide many areas of the river see mud banks and discarded shopping trollies exposed and for many years there have been calls by local business owners and others for a weir to control the level of water in the river, something that could help remediate the unsightly look of the river but these have come to nought.
