Blackwater Catchment

The Blackwater or Blackwater (Munster) has a catchment drainage area or “watershed” predominantly in north county Cork but reaches into counties Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford also. An Abhainn Mhór (The Great River) is the Irish name for the river. All streams and tributaries that contribute to the main channel are included in the catchment drainage area. The most westerly point of the waterway is near Ballydesmond. These waterways drain from west to east towards tidal water and the estuary located between East Point and Knockaverry, Youghal, Co. Cork. The total area is approximately 3,310km² (331,000 hectares). The largest urban centre in the catchment is Mallow. The other main urban centres in this catchment are Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Youghal, Kanturk and Millstreet. Its long-term average flow rate of is 89.1 cubic metres per second (m3/s) . The Blackwater is notable for being one of the best salmon fishing rivers in the country. The catchment is divided into 28 sub-catchments and has 162 surface water bodies and 34 groundwater bodies.

The Blackwater Catchment Plan will be available on March 18th 2026.