Lough Neagh - Facts & Figures |
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| Surface Area of Lough | 383km2 | ||
| Average depth | 8.9m | ||
| Maximum depth | 30m | ||
| Volume | 3.45 x 109m3 | ||
| Length of shoreline | Approximately 125km | ||
| Maximum length | 30.5km (SW-NE) | ||
| Maximum width | 12.1km (W-E) | ||
| Total Lough Neagh Catchment | 5750km2 | ||
| LN Catchment (NI) | 4450km2 (31% of Northern Ireland) | ||
| LN Catchment (ROI) | 390km2 | ||
| LB Catchment | 910km2 | ||
| Total LN & LB Catchment (NI) | 5360km2 (38% of Northern Ireland) | ||
| Status | Hypertrophic - 145 micrograms phosphorous per litre | ||
| Rivers | Inflowing | Blackwater, Ballinderry, Moyola, Six Mile Water, Main and Upper Bann are major tributaries, Glenavy and Crumlin are minor tributaries | |
| Outflowing | Lower Bann (reaching the sea at Portstewart) | ||
| Industries | Past | Linen, Coal, Diatomite, Willow basket making and Reed Harvesting | |
| Present | Fishing, Agriculture, Peat Extraction, Sand extraction, Water extraction, Tourism and Recreation | ||
| Commercial Navigation | Newry Canal (opened 1742, derelict 1949) |
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| Coalisland Canal (opened 1787, abandoned 1954) | |||
| Lagan Canal (opened 1763, abandoned 1958) | |||
| Ulster Canal (opened 1841, abandoned 1931) | |||
| Lower Bann Navigation (opened 1847 and still in operation) | |||
| Upper Bann Navigation (opened 1742, abandoned 1954) | |||
| Drainage Schemes | McMahon Scheme (began 1847-1858) lowered water level by 0.76m | ||
| Sheperd Scheme (1930-1942) plus 1952 and 1959. Schemes lowered water levels by 1.26m | |||
| Average-to-average lowering over 160years = 2.02m | |||
| Environmental listings and designations | Area of Scientific Interest (1965) re-designated ASSI (1992) | ||
| Ramsar Site from 1973 | |||
| 8 Nature Reserves | |||
| Special Protection Area (from 1998) | |||
| Prime Ownership features | Bed and soil, sporting rights owned and leased by Shaftesbury | ||
| Estates of Lough Neagh Ltd | |||
| Eel rights leased and Scale fishing rights owned by Lough Neagh Fishermen's Cooperative Society | |||
More information .... |
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