Study Led by Queen’s University Belfast Reveals Significant Ecosystem Impact of Sand Mining on UK’s Largest Freshwater Lake

The water quality of Lough Neagh has been declining. Image credit: Queen’s University Belfast

(IN BRIEF) A new study involving Newcastle University and led by Queen’s University Belfast has revealed that sand dredging is contributing to significant environmental degradation in Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland. Using high-resolution sonar mapping and satellite imagery, researchers found that dredging activities have caused substantial physical alterations to the lakebed, increased sediment disturbance, and contributed to declining water quality and biodiversity loss. The study highlights that the effects of dredging extend far beyond extraction sites, impacting the entire ecosystem through widespread turbidity and sedimentation. Given the lake’s importance as a major source of drinking water and habitat for wildlife, the findings emphasize the urgency of addressing multiple environmental pressures. The researchers also propose practical mitigation strategies to reduce the ecological footprint of dredging while acknowledging the broader global challenge posed by increasing demand for sand.

(PRESS RELEASE) NEWCASTLE, 17-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — New research involving Newcastle University has raised concerns about the environmental impact of commercial sand dredging on Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in both the UK and Ireland. The study, led by Queen’s University Belfast and published in the Journal of Environmental Management, highlights how dredging activities may be causing more extensive and long-lasting damage to the lake’s ecosystem than previously recognized.

Lough Neagh plays a critical role in Northern Ireland, supplying more than 40% of the region’s drinking water while also supporting fisheries, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems of national and international importance. However, the lake has recently experienced significant environmental decline, marked by worsening water quality, harmful algal blooms, and a reduction in biodiversity, raising increasing public concern.

The research incorporated high-resolution sonar mapping conducted by Dr Chris Hackney, a Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University. The bathymetric survey revealed substantial disruption to the lakebed caused by sand extraction activities, with dredged areas found to be up to 12 metres lower than surrounding undisturbed sections.

Sand dredging, which involves removing sand from underwater environments such as lakes, rivers, and seabeds, has been identified as a contributing factor to this degradation. The study found that its impacts extend beyond designated extraction zones. Increased water turbidity was observed not only during dredging operations but also during vessel movement and near shoreline unloading areas, indicating that sediment disturbance spreads across wider parts of the lake.

Dr Hackney noted that while sand extraction is only one of several pressures affecting Lough Neagh, its impact has been relatively underappreciated. He emphasized the importance of fully understanding all contributing factors to accelerate efforts to restore the lake’s ecological health.

Further analysis by Dr Neil Reid, lead author of the study, showed that dredging has significantly altered the lakebed. In some areas, sediment removal created depressions reaching depths of up to 17 metres. Satellite imagery also revealed large sediment plumes spreading from dredging vessels and offloading points, further contributing to water pollution and ecosystem disruption.

Sedimentation is widely recognized as a major threat to aquatic ecosystems, affecting water quality and damaging habitats that support freshwater species. The study suggests that the ecological consequences of dredging at Lough Neagh are not localized but affect much of the lake, with potential negative impacts on biodiversity and overall environmental stability.

The findings also reflect a broader global issue, as demand for sand continues to rise due to its essential role in construction and infrastructure development. The researchers stress the importance of understanding the cumulative environmental effects of extraction practices in aquatic environments worldwide.

To mitigate these impacts, the study outlines several practical measures, including optimizing dredging equipment to reduce sediment disturbance, limiting overflow during extraction, implementing slower vessel speeds, and designating fixed transit routes. Additional recommendations include managing onshore operations through measures such as covering sand stockpiles and using settlement systems or vegetation buffers to reduce runoff.

Overall, the research underscores the need for improved management practices and greater awareness of the environmental consequences of sand dredging, particularly in sensitive and ecologically significant water bodies like Lough Neagh.

Reference: ‘Sand dredging is associated with benthic habitat alteration and chronic turbidity with profound ecological consequences likely for the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake’, Neil Reid, Rachel Stewart, Marc Ruddock, Gerard Hamill, Christopher Hackney. Journal of Environmental Management, 2026, 129573, DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129573.

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SOURCE: Newcastle University