When the arrangements were agreed in 1945 for incorporating
this stretch of river into the Tummel-Garry Hydro-Electric Scheme, there was no
provision for any hands off flow to be maintained and a weir was put in place
to prevent salmon gaining access.
In recent years, the implementation of the
Water Framework Directive provided a stimulus for the balance between the costs
to SSE of re-engineering structures and losing some hydro generation and the benefits
to the environment, to be re-examined, and a flow has now been restored and
access to salmon reopened. SSE, SEPA and the Tay District Salmon Fisheries
Board have needed to work together to reach this successful outcome which was
marked by a celebratory event which local and national organisations
attended on 30 October.
The Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board (Tay DSFB) is
anticipating that as many as 1500 extra salmon might pass the fish counter at
Pitlochry Dam further downstream once the opened up water is fully colonised.
 |
|
David Summers, Director of the Tay DSFB, Terry A’Hearn,
Chief Executive of SEPA,
and Alastair Stephen, Senior Environmental Advisor at SSE looking at the newly re-watered stretch of river during the celebratory event on 30 October. |