Another excellent photo from Kristina Hayward
Monday, 6 September 2010
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Giant Hogweed on the upper Tay
Here is some giant hogweed found by Kristina hayward just below Aberfeldy, with the only previous record of the species found on a side tributary above the town. As their name suggests, "invasive species" spread quickly. There has also been a record this summer up in Kilin, on some soil beought in to a brown-field site in the town. Himalayam balsam also seems to have spread greatly this summer.
We have been frustrated in recent years trying to get some funding to deal with these invasive species. Funders wont find this because they expect the Scottish Rural Development Programme to do so. They wont fund it unless every landowner within anarea enters a seperate contract. This is expensive....so they dont. Result is that what was a minor problem is now rowing.
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Upper Lochay yesterday
Despite the drought conditions earlier this summer, there is still a decent flow in the upper river at present, more than there usually is under abstracted conditions.
Lochay Power Station
The Lochay power station is shut down for refurbishment at the moment. There is no water being extracted from the upper catchment, and no compensation flow coming back through the pipes from Glen Lyon either, hence the low water levels in the bottom part of the river. Part of the Drumchroisk basin is extracted towards Ben Lawers, but other than that, this is more or less a natural flow in the Lochay under dry conditions. Interestingly however, even with the very dry summer, in the upper river where the best juvenile habitat is, there is still a much greater area of gravel covered by water than there would be in most normal years when water was getting abstracted.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Saturday, 3 July 2010
What the Lochay could look like......
This was the Lochay two days ago after some rain overnight. Normally the Lochay here is only 6-10 ft wide, with water no deeper than your ankles, even in a relatively wet summer. This year, there is no water abstraction in the upper glen while repair works are carried out to the hydro infra structure. What you see here therefore represents a natural flow in the Lochay, albeit after some rain (after a prolonged drought period).
It is just the upper Lochay that is up at the moment. The lower river is very low (no water from Glen Lyon being added, and Loch Lyon )below) is about as low as it has ever been. It will take more than a night's rain to fill it up again.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Low water levels at Loch Lyon
Loch Lyon is probably as low as it has ever been at present, with very little rainfall having fallen during 2010 to date.
VIDEO- Loch Lyon at record low levels
Friday, 18 June 2010
Friday, 11 June 2010
Final report taking shape
This is the front cover of TWCP final report. We have agreed the text of the main report, and are currently organizing a strategy for launching later in summer. Getting the timing right is going to be tricky, but we are meeting again on 1st July to finalize a plan.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
The Upper Lochay- natural drought flow
The Lochay is not going to be abstracted this summer because of maintenance to the pipelines. Therefore, we will see a natural flow down the river for the first time in many, many years. Unfortunately, the current drought means that the river is still very low. Although it is hard to make a proper judgement, it would appear that the lower river is well down on usual levels (no water coming back from Glenlyon) but the upper river appears to be fuller, despite the side burns being almost dry.
It will be really interesting to keep an eye on things this summer.
The Innisraineach Burn Unplugged
The current shut- down provides an excellent opportunity to see some of these watercourses when they are not being abstracted.This watercourse runs down beside the pipeline to Glenlyon. Normally this would be full of water, overflowing down the grid in to the pipe. The sluice gate has been lifted and all the water (not very much because of the dry weather) is going down the main burn.
How it works......
When the sluice gate is down, the water dams up and goes down the grill in to the pipe leading to Glenlyon. The grill keeps out floating debris. Sediment sinks to the bottom.
Simple but devastatingly effective.
VIDEO- Further down the burn.......
This is interesting.........
We were here in 2008 on a TDSFB visit, when the river at this point was no more than 6 ft wide and most of the stones here under water were sitting dry. It would appear that even in drought conditions, there is more water in the UPPER Lochay than when it is being abstracted.
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Weir at the falls of Lochay
I was asked to go up to see the Lochay today as apparently it was nearly dry. However, by the time I got up, some-one had turned the tap on...!! What you see here and in the subsequent two photos is the result of snow melt.....there was nothing here 6 hours previously. Amazing...!!
The Falls of Lochay
This is the Falls of Lochay through some branches....you can see there is a series of three falls. The top and bottom ones are passable to salmon, but the middle one is not.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Friday, 19 February 2010
Thursday, 18 February 2010
TWCP Report front cover photo
This photo of Killin will form the front cover of our final report.
Helen Meek of Ardessie Publishing, Dundonnell,near Ullapool, will be designing our final report.
We will be making best use of all the photographic material that we have.
TWCP Back page photo
This picture will form the centre of the back page. This is the Lyon at Roroyere.
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