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Special Areas of Conservation

Upper Ballinderry River

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Northern Ireland
Unitary Authority Northern Ireland
Centroid* H734792
Latitude 54.6556
Longitude -6.8625
SAC EU Code UK0030296
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 58.88
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Upper Ballinderry River SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (30%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (18%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (0.2%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (0.3%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (9%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (20%)
  • Mixed woodland (3%)
  • Non-forest areas cultivated with woody plants (including Orchards, groves, Vineyards, Dehesas) (19.5%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation

    The Upper Ballinderry River rises in the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland and flows eastwards into Lough Neagh. It is a moderately large river and ranges in type from oligo-mesotrophic to mesotrophic. The river is notable for the physical diversity and naturalness of the bank and channel, and the richness and naturalness of its plant and animal communities. In the middle reaches, common aquatic bryophytes are Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Amblystegium fluviatile, Fontinalis antipyretica and Rhynchostegium riparioides. In addition, beds of stream water-crowfoot Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. penicillatus are abundant in the river channel, often growing in association with intermediate water-starwort Callitriche hamulata and large-leaved pondweeds Potamogeton spp.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 1029 Freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera

    The Upper Ballinderry River rises in the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland and flows eastwards into Lough Neagh. It is a moderately large river with nutrient conditions that range from oligo-mesotrophic to mesotrophic. The freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera population, which is estimated to have a minimum number of 1,000 individuals, is confined to 7.5 km of undisturbed river channel in its middle reaches. It is one of the largest known populations surviving in Northern Ireland.

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.