Upper Ballinderry River ASSI

The Upper Ballinderry River is a fast-flowing, mesotrophic river which is particularly notable for the diversity and naturalness of the bank and channel and the richness of the associated plant and animal
communities. It is one of the most important rivers in Northern Ireland for rare aquatic species.

In the upper reaches of the river, the aquatic plants consist mainly of the mosses Fontinalis antipyretica and Racomitrium aciculare. In the middle reaches of the river, beds of stream water-crowfoot are abundant in the river channel, in addition to the aquatic mosses.

Further downstream, the river-banks support stands of woodland with its own distinct flora and fauna.

The Upper Ballinderry River is of particular importance for the freshwater pearl mussel. It is one of the few rivers in Northern Ireland that still retains a significant and viable population of this rare shellfish. In addition, the river supports a good range of native fish species, including Brook lamprey. Otters and Kingfishers are present along the length of the river.