The Tay Western Catchments Project

Opening day of the 2012 salmon season at Kenmore

2012-01-16T14:40:00.000Z

VIDEO- A springer, by golly...

2012-01-16T14:39:00.000Z

This fish was caught within the first few minutes of the new season. Beat that Dunkeld...!!

VIDEO- Lost one...

2012-01-16T14:33:00.001Z

This was funny. This poor guy caught a fish within seconds of the opening cast, and lost it. The crowd has a bit of a laugh at his expense.

VIDEO- The band setting out

2012-01-16T14:25:00.000Z

VIDEO- The boat is annointed with whiskey

2012-01-16T14:16:00.000Z

VIDEO- Broken Oar

2012-01-16T14:09:00.000Z

AS the boat was heading out, the oar came loose from the boat and gave everyone a bit of a laugh.

VIDEO...Lee Conway makes the first cast

2012-01-16T13:42:00.000Z

Lee caught the biggest salmon on opening day last year.

Lee Conway makes the first cast

2012-01-16T13:31:00.002Z

Setting off

2012-01-16T13:30:00.003Z

On the water

2012-01-16T13:30:00.000Z

Well done

2012-01-16T13:29:00.000Z

One of these gents caught the first springer of the year on the Tay.

Heading out for the first cast

2012-01-16T13:28:00.000Z

Kenmore Hotel

2012-01-16T13:27:00.000Z

Under Kenmore bridge

2012-01-16T13:26:00.000Z

The Lochay today.....

2011-10-26T16:13:00.000+01:00

Been away from the blog for a while. Picking things up again the noo.... VC

The gauging station at Stronuich

2011-06-23T09:36:00.002+01:00

Straight on view

2011-06-23T09:35:00.003+01:00

Video- Possible smolt trapping location

2011-06-23T09:34:00.000+01:00

VIDEO- Water flowing through gauging station

2011-06-23T09:26:00.000+01:00

TWCP Report now on sale

2011-01-23T14:35:00.000Z

http://www.scotsman.com/news/Explorers-find-source-of-the.6698848.jp
Above is article in the Scotsman yesterday.

TWCP Discover the Source of the Tay

2011-01-21T10:02:00.000Z

We discovered the Source of the Tay n 2008....papers are just catching up with us today.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-12243508

On the telly.......

2011-01-18T22:20:00.000Z

STV came out to the Lyon today to do a series of interviews about our catchment project. We had a really enjoyable day, talking at length about the motivations behind our project, and this came out really well in the finsished article that went out just after 6pm.

Unfortunately, our main story, devolving responsibility for certain river management functions to a new organization in this area, got a bit lost on the day.

We will be bringing this out in the papers a bit in the next few days though.

Well done to all concerned for a very enjoyable morning, and to STV for the great job they did.

This photo was taken by our Committee member Jock Monteith.

TDSFB member and Taymount owner Will Lindsay was first up for interview.

2011-01-18T22:13:00.000Z

Well done Will...first off is always the worst........

TDSFB member and North Chesthill owner Alastair Riddell

2011-01-18T22:12:00.002Z

Different angle......

2011-01-18T22:11:00.002Z

Closer........

2011-01-18T22:10:00.002Z

New Tay biologist, Rob Mitchell does his bit

2011-01-18T22:09:00.000Z

Rob and Will Lindsay both came over really well but unfortunately their interviews did not go out. We will see if we can get what they said on video.

Interviewing Jock....

2011-01-18T22:07:00.003Z

Jock in good form..........

2011-01-18T22:06:00.005Z

Wider angle.....

2011-01-18T22:06:00.002Z

David Marsland

2011-01-18T22:05:00.000Z

STV reporter David Marsland and his camera-man did an excellent job today, making us feel at ease and quickly understanding what our project was all about.

Another angle.......

2011-01-18T22:03:00.002Z

Back in Aberfeldy........

2011-01-18T22:02:00.001Z

WE got back to Aberfeldy to find this big pile of 2000 catchments reports had just been delivered.......all then had to be carried upstairs!!

Looking forward to 2011

2010-12-31T11:42:00.003Z

We yesterday received a very welcome donation that will allow us to print another 2000 copies of our TWCP survey report, which we can now distribute to a wider audience to get our key messages across. Hard copies of the report will be available for £7.50 plus P & P if required. A free low resolution version can be downloaded by linking here: http://www.scottishnativewoods.org.uk/index.asp?lm=60 and scrolling down to TWCP Final Report pdf.

Details of outlets and means of ordering will be available in a few weeks when we have worked out the details.

At the TDSFB AGM on 7th December, it was agreed that many of the functions relating to river management would be devolved to new organization based in this area, provisionally to be called the "Tay Western Catchments Partnership". We will have publicity going out in mid January to co-incide with the opening of the new salmon season on the Tay.

So, after a few quiet months on here, we are now ready to go and looking forward to 2011.

Happy New Year to one and all.

The Salmon Life Cycle

2010-12-31T11:37:00.002Z

The TWCP survey was focused on improving the riparian environment for fish. This excellent ilustration of the salmon life cycle has been produced for the Atlantic Salmon Trust by Robin Ade.

TWCP Report launch

2010-09-24T22:03:00.002+01:00

We launched our TWCP report in Killin on Wed past, and although te crowd was a bit small, we had a number of key players there, and it was a great occasion. We will do some sort of PR in due course. Here are copies of report on my desk, ready to go out next week, as soon as I have a covering letter OK-ed.

More specific feedback in due course.

Being caught up in speeches etc on the day, I have no photos of actual event itself.

The Lochay on launch day

2010-09-24T22:02:00.000+01:00

Duneaves Bridge

2010-09-20T19:30:00.001+01:00

Another photo from Kristina Hayward. This bridge crosses the Lyon immediately below Fortingall.

Harvest time on Tayside

2010-09-06T21:13:00.000+01:00

Another excellent photo from Kristina Hayward

Giant Hogweed on the upper Tay

2010-08-14T11:45:00.003+01:00

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 Killin, on some soil brought 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 fund this because they expect the Scottish Rural Development Programme to do so. They wont fund it unless every landowner within an area enters a seperate contract. This is expensive....so they dont. Result is that what was a minor problem is now rowing.

Upper Lochay yesterday

2010-08-07T12:10:00.001+01:00

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.

Low water levels in the lower Lochay

2010-08-07T12:09:00.002+01:00

Water guage

2010-08-07T12:09:00.001+01:00

Lochay Power Station

2010-08-07T12:01:00.003+01:00

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.

Alastair Kininmonth's sheep

2010-07-31T22:56:00.001+01:00

Photo from Kristina Hayward.

What the Lochay could look like......

2010-07-03T10:44:00.002+01:00

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.

Looking downstream.........

2010-07-03T10:43:00.000+01:00

Pipeline at top of Glen Lochay

2010-07-02T12:09:00.001+01:00

Low water levels at Loch Lyon

2010-07-02T12:07:00.001+01:00

Loch Lyon is probably as low as it has ever been at present, with very little rainfall having fallen during 2010 to date.

Looking up Loch Lyon.......

2010-07-02T12:06:00.000+01:00

Old fence posts emerging........

2010-07-02T12:05:00.000+01:00

VIDEO- Loch Lyon at record low levels

2010-07-02T11:55:00.002+01:00

This was Loch Lyon yesterday...the gulls calling made it all the more eerie and still.

By the Lochay........

2010-06-18T12:01:00.000+01:00

Final report taking shape

2010-06-11T20:54:00.003+01:00

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.

The Upper Lochay- natural drought flow

2010-06-05T14:36:00.002+01:00

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

2010-06-05T14:33:00.002+01:00

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.

Closer.......

2010-06-05T14:32:00.002+01:00

From the other side......

2010-06-05T14:32:00.001+01:00

Down the chute.........

2010-06-05T14:29:00.001+01:00

How it works......

2010-06-05T14:27:00.001+01:00

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- Down the plughole

2010-06-05T14:18:00.003+01:00

This is the Innisraineach Burn escaping out and down the watercourse.

VIDEO- Further down the burn.......

2010-06-05T14:02:00.002+01:00

This is the water at the bottom end of the burn, just as it enters the Lochay.

This is interesting.........

2010-06-05T13:59:00.002+01:00

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.

Lower end of the Allt Innis Choarach

2010-06-05T13:58:00.000+01:00

The Allt Innis Daimh

2010-06-05T13:57:00.000+01:00

Pretty dry.....

Closer........

2010-06-05T13:56:00.000+01:00

The Lubcurran Burn

2010-06-05T13:55:00.000+01:00

Pretty dry as well..........

Closer..........

2010-06-05T13:50:00.002+01:00

Looking up the Lochay........

2010-06-05T13:50:00.001+01:00

And again.....

2010-06-05T13:49:00.002+01:00

The pipeline to Glen Lyon

2010-06-05T13:49:00.001+01:00

Straight on

2010-06-05T13:48:00.000+01:00

Looking down Glen Lochay

2010-06-05T13:47:00.002+01:00

Bend in the river

2010-06-05T13:47:00.001+01:00

You can see how low the river is here.

Deer beside the Lochay

2010-06-05T13:46:00.000+01:00

Native woodland fragments

2010-06-05T13:42:00.000+01:00

Weir at the falls of Lochay

2010-03-13T19:41:00.002Z

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

2010-03-13T19:40:00.003Z

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.

The Falls at Kenknock

2010-03-13T19:39:00.001Z

This is all snow-melt since this morning......

A distant western sunset

2010-03-13T19:38:00.000Z

The Tay Today from Wade's bridge, Aberfeldy

2010-03-08T11:21:00.000Z

The river is very low just now........

Through a dirty window.........

2010-02-23T18:38:00.000Z

Glorious day in Highland Perthshire today.............

Schiehallion from the Crieff Road above Aberfeldy

2010-02-19T08:21:00.001Z

A bigger mountain than Schiehallion.......

2010-02-19T08:20:00.000Z

Aberfedy in Highland Perthshire

2010-02-19T08:19:00.001Z

TWCP Report front cover photo

2010-02-18T09:34:00.002Z

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

2010-02-18T09:33:00.003Z

This picture will form the centre of the back page. This is the Lyon at Roroyere.

Biscuit & Nelly surveying, Feb 2008

2010-02-18T09:33:00.001Z

Hydro abstraction point

2010-02-18T09:21:00.001Z

Water abstraction issues will be one of the key issues we want to highlight.

Light coloured water vole

2010-02-15T20:51:00.003Z

I got this great photo today from Katy Freeman who works for Forestry Commission Scotland in Cowal & Trossachs Forest District. We did some water vole survey work for Katy last autumn down by Lochgoilhead. She is managing a water vole release programme within the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, using water voles rescued from a development site in Glasgow. There was a danger that the genetic base of the introduced population might get too narrow, so we arranged for her to capture some immature water voles in Glen Lochay, at a site that we found in 2007, and these will be used to breed with her captive voles to give her a wider genetic base.

We will use this photo in pole position in the water vole section of our final report. This water vole is light coloured. The Scottish population has a high proportion of black animals but many are also the brown variety and some are a grey, brown , blackish in-between colour.

Well done Katy.

Swim away.....!!

2010-02-15T20:50:00.000Z

Newtyle on the Tay

2010-02-15T16:40:00.001Z

Here are a couple of images of boats on the Tay, to be included in main report in a short section on the Tay Ghillies Association, one of our key funders.

Twa boats at Cargill

2010-02-15T16:39:00.000Z

Comrie Bridge, Lower Lyon

2010-02-14T09:49:00.002Z

This collection of 42 photographs will be inserted as eight pages of plates in our final catchment report in addition to the further 80-100 used to illustrate points in the main body of the report itself. Our catchment survey has allowed us access to these glens in all weathers and at all times of year, from the rivers right up to the high hill tops. There are lots of things going on all the time.

The images can be expanded to full screen size simply by clicking on them

The Burning Bush

2010-02-14T09:48:00.002Z

Meggernie Pine Trees

2010-02-14T09:48:00.001Z

In to Loch Dochart

2010-02-14T09:47:00.003Z

Glenlyon Pine Trees

2010-02-14T09:47:00.001Z

Forestry Commission timber on Drummond Hill

2010-02-14T09:46:00.002Z

Day old deer

2010-02-14T09:46:00.001Z