Waterways Ireland commissioned LUC to undertake a Climate Resilience Assessment of cultural heritage and navigational assets along their 1,000km network of canals, rivers, and lakes.

The project will inform Waterways Ireland's prioritisation of climate change adaptation measures, safeguarding these vital recreational waterways and the cultural heritage they contain.

LUC's GIS & Visualisation team used established methodologies to assess the potential impact of six natural hazards on each asset.

This included creating risk score matrices to prioritise future actions.

We collated data from national bodies, local authorities, and Waterways Ireland's internal records to create a comprehensive picture of the assets at risk.

LUC worked in partnership with Archaeological Management Solutions on cultural heritage topics and TOBINS Consulting Engineers on hydrology and hazard inputs.

The project identified vulnerable assets and provided recommendations for improving data quality and future assessments.

This will allow Waterways Ireland to focus resources on the areas most in need of protection.

The project findings will inform a long-term strategy to ensure the waterways remain accessible and enjoyable for future generations while safeguarding their cultural heritage.