Peatland Hydrogeological Assessment for Slope Stability Evaluation (PHASSE)
PHASSE is a tripartite research and development partnership aiming to employ existing hydrogeological and geophysical techniques to better understand how groundwater flows through peat, and how this influences, among others, risks of slope failure associated with developments on peatlands. This short project will aim to assess the utility of existing techniques for quantifying how water is stored and flows through peat, and whether easily employed hydrological tracer testing methods may be better employed to characterise peatland hydrogeology.
Image shows damage to blanket bog at Shass Mountain, Co. Leitrim, June 2020.
Background
Peat covers over one fifth of Ireland, yet groundwater flow through it remains poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our confidence in quantifying bogs respond to loading and artificial drainage, such as that experienced during installation of wind energy facilities, and how these activities can influence landslide risk.
Recently completed research at Queen’s University Belfast has shown that groundwater can flow through peat considerably faster than previously assumed. This shows potential for the application of alternative methods to investigate the hydrogeology of bogs.
Research Aims
The Geological Survey of Ireland -funded Peatland Hydrogeological Assessment for Slope Stability Evaluation (PHASSE) aims to evaluate the reliability of techniques for the in-situ quantification of peat hydrogeological properties. This information provides key information about how peat can influence groundwater flow, pore water pressure and slope stability.
PHASSE is a short proof-of-concept project that combines established artificial tracer testing techniques and geophysical methods to track groundwater flow at an existing blanket bog research site.
Investigations will employ contrasts in tracer and bog groundwater electrical conductivity to track flow trajectories using geoelectrical techniques. Monitoring flow paths and hydraulic gradients provides a means of independently determining peat hydrogeological properties for comparison with more widely used methods.
A more accurate understanding of these properties is essential for further advancing current understanding of peat slope failures, and how these are affected by activities such as installation of drains, the construction of access roads and excavations. Recent years has witnessed these features becoming more common across Irish Uplands, and linked to landslides and bog bursts.
A short duration tripartite research partnership between Queen's University Belfast, University College Dublin and the British Geological Survey. PHASSE is funded through the Geological Survey of Ireland's 2024 Short Calls Research Programme. The project will run until September 2025.
Further support is provided by Northern Ireland Water (NI Water SCAMP Programme) and Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
PHASSE is a tripartite research partnership with collaborators from Queen's University Belfast (QUB), University College Dublin (UCD) and the British Geological Survey (BGS):
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