Category: Environment
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Catrine Fish Pass
The problems with Catrine Fish Pass continue with still no resolution to the problems over the turbulence and accessibility at the entrance. We are informed that an experimental deflector will be attached to the side wall of the fish pass on the dam side to push water away from the entrance in a bid to…
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Daldorch Wall completed
Underpinning at the Daldorch wall has been completed and the contractors have finished all works in stream. ART raised their concerns to SEPA over the approach taken to dam the site using river stone. SEPA acknowledged this hadn’t been a good approach and not as detailed in the CAR licence issued, but the damage had been done…
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Catrine dam refurbishment completed
in EnvironmentART have reported that Catrine Dam has been completed this week and all works to stabilise the structure are finished. More work is required to complete the fish and eel passes including fixing a baffle to stop the standing wave that appeared after the bypass channel was opened (it draws too much water for the…
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New works start at Catrine
Jamieson Plant and Contractors from Maybole have started work at the footbridge at Catrine to underpin the wall on the Daldorch side of the river. This is an East Ayrshire Council job and is deemed essential due to the extent of undermining below the wall. Today the contractors have made a ramp into the river and…
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Himalayan Balsam discovered in the Ayr catchment.
I’ve copied a link to ART’s web site where they reported yesterday that biologists had discovered Himalayan Balsam in the Kerse Burn on the Coyle catchment. Unless this is dealt with immediately, it seems that they fear it will rapidly spread out of control. All anglers must now familiarise themselves with the plant and learn…
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Vandals waste time and money
The contractors poured a test slab of lime concrete yesterday, the first time it has ever been done on this scale, anywhere . This first pour was 12 cubic metres of mortar as a test to ensure the process and material was satisfactory. Approximate cost of the mortar alone was around £2000. An expensive test pour…
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Non Native Species in the River Ayr
in EnvironmentWe have received several reports recently of rainbow trout being caught on the River Ayr and Doon and I have received photos from reliable sources of these fish caught on both rivers. Whilst this situation is not good, these fish should be thinned out quickly by the numerous anglers that are out on both systems.…
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Catrine Dam
in EnvironmentAfter years in the development and planning, work to stabilise Catrine Dam and improve the fish pass is now under way. I met with SEPA, CCT and the contractors this morning to discuss concerns I highlighted last week over the altered flow down the fish pass. We also discussed the overall project and timescale of…
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River Ayr Spate
in EnvironmentOnce again there has been a landslide in recent weeks above Catrine Dam. This is the second major slide within a year. The debris at the foot of the bank causes gravel and sediment to build up, shallowing the pool and deflecting the flow to the opposite bank and today I noticed that this too…