​Geological Survey Ireland is pleased to announce the digital re-release of the Dublin Soil URban GEochemistry (SURGE) project data. The project was completed by Geological Survey Ireland and the Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU) in 2009-2011. Since 2011 the data has been available under license only; this data is now freely and openly available on Geological Survey Ireland’s map viewer (select Urban Soils). To download the data visit our Data & Maps page here.

The study provides a snapshot of the chemical status of Dublin soil relevant to environmental assessment, soil policy, land-use planning and compliance with environmental legislation and land-use planning. The project report and peer-reviewed journal article can be viewed on the SURGE web pages. Linked to a specially commissioned study on Dublin's historical industry, results show that the soils of inner city Dublin have higher levels of potentially harmful elements (in particular metals) and persistent organic pollutants (PAHs and PCBs) than outer city areas. This chemical pattern is one which is seen in cities around the world, and is consistent with historical and modern urban human activities.

Given that it is 10 years since Dublin SURGE was completed, we are planning on re-sampling Dublin urban soil and sampling Galway urban soil for the first time as part of the Tellus survey in Spring 2021, to complete seamless rural-to-urban soil geochemical mapping across the northernmost half of Ireland.