Category: Environment
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Work continues at Catrine to assess the smolt run
As normal in May, the Grannom hatch has commenced and this evening and smolts are often seen rising for these emerging caddis on the Ayr. It is both fascinating and worrying as there are still hundreds of smolts in the voes but we are attempting to encourage them out overnight, bypassing the turbine house (which isn’t…
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Netherton and Skares Opencast Coal Site Restoration
in EnvironmentFollow this link to Ayrshire Rivers Trusts post on the restoration of these sites. Work is well underway but still plenty yet to be done. It may not be full restoration, but it is progress. Restoration of Netherton and Skares Coal Sites
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Warning
in EnvironmentThe Ayr Bailiffs asked me to warn anglers visiting the left bank of the river upstream of the Dam Park weirs (Nether mills); there appears to be many used syringes with needles lying about. This has been reported to the Council who will deal with it but it’s obviously a well used area for drug…
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Slurry incident on the Fail
Ayrshire Rivers Trust received a call at lunchtime today about foam on the Water of Fail at Failford. Two members of staff were diverted to investigate. ART determined it was slurry and reported the incident to SEPA with rough directions to the source of the pollution. About an hour later, ART and SEPA met up and pinpointed…
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River bank stabilisation
Ayrshire Rivers Trust aims to deliver a demonstration of willow spilling with the assistance of Board members and volunteers. One area in particular is of interest and has suffered considerable erosion in recent years causing the River Ayr Way to collapse and a power line pole to be relocated. The area in question is at…
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Greenock Water erosion…
Here’s a link to a blog post that appears on Ayrshire Rivers Trust web page. The Trust are working to find green engineering solutions to the problems that are occurring on a fairly large scale. We will watch with interest any developments. It’s good to have the Trust’s expertise and enthusiasm for such works at…
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Himalayan balsam on the Lugar and Ayr
Until the last few years, the River Ayr catchment was the only system in Ayrshire free from Himalayan balsam. In 2013 Ayrshire Rivers Trust found 5 plants and pulled them in Ayr opposite the college. In 2014 ART found a single plant at Barskimming Bridge and it was pulled. Again last year ART found this invasive plant on the…
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Pollution
Here’s a report from ART that was published on Facebook that some may find concerning. If you come across pollution of any sort, don’t ignore it but call SEPA or the Trust or both. The Trust aren’t the responsible organisation for pollution control, that’s SEPA’s role but they always take pollution seriously and by contacting…
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American Signal Crayfish in the Ayr!!!
Ayrshire Rivers Trust biologists investigating a report of American Signam Crayfish on a River Ayr tributary have now conformed their presence. This is terrible news for the Ayr system and undoubtedly will require much further investigation. A report from the Trust can be found by following this link to their web blog. http://www.ayrshireriverstrust.org/blog/2015/11/04/american-signal-crayfish-turn-up-in-an-ayrshire-river/