Shannon Estuary
The Shannon Estuary in Ireland (Irish: Inbhear na Sionainne) is a large estuary where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The estuary has Limerick City at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to the south. The estuary defines the main boundary between County Kerry/County Limerick to the south and County Clare to the north.
| Shannon Estuary | |
|---|---|
Shannon Estuary (Blue) | |
| Native name | Inbhear na Sionainne (Irish) |
| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Counties | Clare, Limerick, Kerry |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Loop Head / Kerry Head |
| Length | 102.1 kilometres (63.4 mi) |
The length of the Shannon Estuary is 102.1 km (63.4 mi). The Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) incorporates the estuary and is 120 km (75 mi) in length, running from Killaloe to Loop Head. The Shannon has a high tidal range, up to around 5.44 m (17.8 ft) at Limerick docks, such that the estuary has been considered for tidal power schemes, despite occasionally experiencing a tidal bore.
In the second half of the 19th century about 65 km² of the estuary's lowlands have been embanked and reclaimed, largely for agricultural purposes.