Waterfall ‘at risk’ from hydro plan
The Reekie Linn is made up of two falls which unite when the river is in spate. Picture: Jane Barlow
THE Reekie Linn – “the smoking pool” – is, by any measure, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Scotland.
Sited on the edge of the Angus glens, two falls – one of six metres followed by another of 18 metres – unite, when the River Isla is in spate, to form an awe-inspiring single cascade of water that sends an eerie, smoke-like plume billowing into the sky.
But there are now mounting fears that controversial hydro power plans by Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) to build a “run of the river” water abstraction scheme in the area will rob the dramatic falls of any spectacle.
Concerns are also being raised by the local fishery board about the potential impact of the scheme on vital spawning grounds for the Tay, one of Scotland’s main salmon rivers, and angling on a popular beat on the River Isla.
SSE has gone out to public consultation on its plans to use a six-mile stretch of the Isla – including the site of the Reekie Linn and a second waterfall known as the “Big Slug” at Auchrannie – for a hydroelectric scheme that would involve water being fed through an underground pipeline system to a generating station before being returned to the river six miles downstream, just above the village of Alyth.
The run of the river scheme would be capable of generating up to ten megawatts of electricity at any one time and up to 30 gigawatt-hours in an average year, enough to supply the domestic needs of more than 6,500 households.
The energy giant is expected to submit its proposals for the scheme to Angus Council later this year.
The battle lines, however, are already being drawn and both the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board and the Kirriemuir Angling Club plan to object to the scheme.
Dr David Summers, fisheries director of the Tay Salmon Fisheries Board, said the board had “significant concerns” about the potential impact of the abstraction project.
He said: “Reducing the flow may impact on salmon spawning in that neck of the woods.
“The other issue which they have not, as far as I can see, taken account of from the start is that the same area is also an important fishery for local people. And the sort of flows when the abstraction rate would be maximised would be in a dropping spate, which is normally the time that people would want to go fishing.
“The Reekie Linn, a dramatic waterfall in the area, is also a popular tourist spot, and there will be lot of people who will have significant concerns about how this scheme is going to affect the falls. For a significant part of the year, the flow would, in effect, be reduced to a summer level.”
Derek Strachan, the chairman of Kirriemuir Angling Club, said the beat on the Isla where the extraction scheme would be sited accounted for about a third of the annual fishing by members of the club.
He, too, voiced concern about the impact on salmon spawning stocks – and the spectacular falls.
“The Reekie Linn is a famous waterfall and there is another waterfall in the area called the Big Slug,” he said.
“They would be an apology of what they are if this scheme goes ahead.”
A spokeswoman for SSE rejected the claims. “We will only abstract water when there is enough water in the river for us to use,” she said. “If it drops below a certain level, as rivers do as part of their cycle, there could be weeks on end when we would not take anything out of the river.”
She said mitigation measures to protect salmon stocks would be included in an environmental statement due to be published in the spring.
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Comments
There are 12 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Rae B
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 11:43 AMB K - data can be helpful. Further down river from proposed Isla hydro, max, ave & min flows are about 80, 8 & 1 m3s. Assume at falls (& intake), max, ave & min are about 50, 5 & 0.5. From scheme info, abstracted flow might be max and ave of 12 & 3 m3s. If these figures are close, then scheme could have a bad impact on river - much more than scheme at Corra Linn (where max abstract is roughly same as river average flow). But, impact is likely to be worst for 95% to 99% of time, when river isn't in spate?
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 01:07 PMPut a forward slash after the ".com" and it will work. The Scotsman seems to filter these out.
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 01:04 PMThe link I posted to the image does not seem to work, but try this website ans you will see how Corra Linn looks now, and how Reekie Linn might look if the hydro scheme is built there: http:www.top-ten-glasgow-guide.comfalls-of-clyde.html
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 12:24 PMThere are lies, d@mn lies, then statistics. Since your job with SSE is to obscure and obfuscate the unpalatable truth I'm sure readers will treat your statistics with the contempt they deserve. As for what these statistics mean in practice, let readers compare the photo of Reekie Linn on this page with what your company has done to Corra Linn, which once looked almost identical. Here is the link. http:www.top-ten-glasgow-guide.comimagesfalls-of-clyde-21365168.jpg It's not very impressive now, is it? I
Rae B
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 12:01 PMhttp:www.ceh.ac.ukdatanrfadatatime_series.html?84003 shows some river flow values, if that helps.
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 10:58 AM#6 I knew the SSE spin doctor would but in with lies. Your company (including its predecessors) has destroyed this former beauty spot and tourist attraction, just as surely as they will Reekie Linn. The evidence is there for all to see.
Rae B
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 10:51 AMThese hydro schemes don't make much of a difference to flows when the river is in spate. For example the hydro station near Corra Linn on the Clyde abstracts maybe up to 25 cubic metres per second while the river can have flows of up to 500 cubic metres per second. The effect is more noticeable during times of low river flow, but even then a certain amount of water would always be required to bypass the hydro scheme
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 09:26 AMAnyone doubting what the effects of this hydro scheme would be should Google "Corra Linn" and look at the images. You will see ones where it is spate, which happens twice yearly when the turbines are being maintained. You will also see others of when it is almost dry with barely a trickle of water for the rest of the year. Reekie Linn and Corra Linn show an amazing resemblance, so the photos of Corra Linn now will be an accurate likeness of what will happen to Reekie Linn. Go on, look it up on Google and see for yourself.
B K
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 09:16 AMAnyone wanting to see how disastrous this would be should visit Lanark and see Corra Linn. This is an almost identical waterfall with a similar "double leap." So similar that I initially thought the story was about Corra Linn when I first saw the photo here. For most of the year it is just a trickle because of the hydro scheme and hardly qualifies as a waterfall at all. It is also now an impassible obstruction to the salmon which have returned to the Clyde. Before it was bypassed it was the biggest tourist attraction in Lanarkshire and was always busy with visitors. Now hardly anyone goes there. Hydro has its price and the beauty of the countryside is being destroyed to provide profits for greedy companies.
The Ayrshire Bard
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 09:02 AMScotland's greatest asset (apart from Leithers) is her amazing natural beauty. That is what brings thousands of tourists to our country every year and must be preserved, irrespective of the squealings from the energy groups. The technology employed by these groups is as fickle as fashion as they scamper after every new fad that comes along. Witness these horrendous wind turbines that apparently earn more for the companies when switched off than when working.
Willie Boy
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 06:29 AMPrivate profit = public good Public good = corporate greed The legacy of Thatcher , when she transferred the energy sector to the corporate raiders.
Willie Boy
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 06:23 AMCan anyone believe the spokeswoman when she double speaks saying her company will only abstract water when there is enough water for us to use, Energy utilities are avaricious profiteers who would stop at nothing in pursuit of profit. Power from the glens for the glens was once the maxim. Not now though.
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