Concern over Loch Ness' falling water levels

Concerns person been raised implicit h2o levels connected Loch Ness and the River Ness.

The loch dropped to its lowest level successful 32 years past month, according to Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) figures.

Ness fishery committee said levels remained concerningly debased and claimed h2o that could assistance easiness the concern was being stored - unused - for hydro-power.

Energy institution SSE Renewables said it was managing its h2o usage sensitively amid challenging upwind conditions.

Loch Ness is Scotland's largest freshwater loch by volume, portion the River Ness flows from Loch Dochfour, astatine apical of Loch Ness, and retired to oversea astatine Inverness. The loch and stream are portion of what is called the Ness system, an country of burns, rivers and lochs that extends south-west of Inverness.

On 24 May, Sepa recorded a h2o level of conscionable implicit 109cm (3.5ft) astatine Foyers, which is the determination of a pumped hydro strategy that uses h2o from Loch Ness to make electricity.

The fig is lowest level according to records going backmost to 1 December 1990. It has risen somewhat since, but continues to beryllium classed arsenic "low".

Sepa said the country had seen debased rainfall.

It said successful May the Loch Ness country had been 1 of the driest successful the UK, and Inverness had received conscionable a 3rd of its accustomed semipermanent mean rainfall.

It added the Ness portion had seen beneath mean rainfall successful wintertime and spring. On Friday, the bureau accrued its h2o scarcity informing for the country to "moderate" - its 2nd highest level.

Sepa besides upgraded the hazard successful the Loch Maree country successful the Highlands to "significant", and placed 37 areas crossed the Firth of Clyde astatine "alert".

Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, the statutory assemblage liable for the extortion and enhancement of salmon and oversea trout fisheries successful the Ness area, has expressed superior concerns astir the wellness of the River Ness.

It said the stream was astatine levels much usually seen astatine the extremity of July and August, with ample areas drying out.

Director Brian Shaw said determination were consequences for chaotic salmon populations, the river's conservation presumption and its categorisation successful presumption of angling.

Problems see salmon being incapable to question easy up stream from the sea, and accrued h2o temperature.

Mr Shaw said clime alteration was a factor, and the committee had noted a inclination for drier winters and springs.

But helium said erstwhile levels were low, hydro-electric procreation had a immense effect, with h2o drawn astatine Dochfour for the Caledonian Canal that would different flowed successful to the River Ness.

"There is simply a tremendous magnitude of interest and I deliberation 1 of the cardinal things is we are truthful aboriginal successful the summertime and already doubly the River Ness has got to its lowest level connected record, said Mr Shaw.

He added: "Most radical wouldn't admit conscionable however controlled the Ness strategy is.

"When it gets down to these debased levels astir each facet of it is controlled by hydro schemes connected the system."

He said releasing h2o stored further up the strategy astatine SSE's Loch Garry and Loch Loyne reservoirs could assistance alleviate the situation.

Naturalist Adrian Shine, who has studied Loch Ness for galore years, said the loch was astatine its lowest level helium had seen since 1989.

He said: "Loch Ness is precise heavy truthful you are not going to spot an immense quality implicit its aboveground and the sides are precise steep, but successful definite areas.

"The astir noticeable country is Urquhart Bay and determination is simply a bay wrong that bay that is dry, and I don't retrieve that happening successful '89."

Fiona Cairns, who has lived by the loch for astir of her beingness and runs Loch Ness Alpacas, besides said it was astatine the lowest she had ever seen it.

She said her alpacas were capable to sneak into their different tract by going astir the extremity of fences usually inaccessible owed to the extent of the loch.

"We've had precise small rainfall implicit the past fewer weeks and the burns are adust truthful not filling the loch," she added.

SSE Renewables said the adust upwind had affected rivers crossed the Highlands.

A spokesperson said: "While these adust conditions are challenging, our teams person been moving intimately with cardinal biology stakeholders specified arsenic Sepa and NatureScot to negociate our hydro operations successful accordance with our biology obligations, portion continuing to present zero c energy from our hydro and pumped retention assets."

The spokesperson added that delicate absorption of h2o had helped support higher flows successful the River Ness than would person been contiguous if hydro-power was not successful existence, portion astatine the aforesaid clip maintaining levels astatine lochs Loyne and Garry to support designated nesting sites of protected birds.

Scottish Canals said h2o levels were astatine an unprecedented low.

Environment manager Olivia Lassiere said: "We expect much instances similar this occurring going forward, owed to the apt impacts of clime change.

"Our h2o usage and cognition of the Caledonian Canal is authorised and regulated by Sepa, and we person robust plans successful spot to negociate utmost situations similar this, which see engaging with Sepa for their latest advice."