Land Commission Embankments

Abstract: This data shows Land Commision (LC) Embankments constructed by landowners typically in the 19th century, that individual land owners have a responsibility to maintain. These are man made raised structures of natural materials, constructed to protect low lying ground from flooding (not properties).Purpose: This data has been developed to identify the embankments that were created by landowners to reclaim land from rivers or the sea, typically in the 19th century. The Land Commission took over a number of embankments as part of it's work. The Minister and Land Commission were subsequently exempted from any responsibility for maintenance of land sold by the Land Commission under Section 10 of the Land Act, 1965, and this responsibility falls on the current landowners, in line with the provisions of the Land Acts. The purpose of the schemes was to create land for agriculture. In some cases embankments were created and the area behind was allowed to flood and flush out a number of times to reduce the salt content of the soil.