Scottish Power plan to divert River Doon

Jul 24 2009

POWER chiefs want to divert 40 per cent of the River Doon away from Ayrshire.

And experts say the plan could create an environmental disaster for the iconic river.

It’s believed that the controversial proposal could also have a major impact on Ayr beach and serious economic consequences for the wider community.

And environmentalists have called on Scottish Power to ditch the plan to redirect 17 million gallons of water a day to create extra hydro electric power in the River Dee.

Brian Shaw, from Ayrshire Rivers Trust ,said: “There is so little hydro electric power at stake here and such serious environmental implications for Ayrshire that this has to be looked at again.”

Around 28 per cent of the Doon has been diverted to the Dee in Galloway since the hydro electric power plant and dams were constructed in the 1930s.

But the power company are planning to apply to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to massively increase the amount of water heading south.

A substantial reduction in the flow of water in the river could see the existing salmon stocks seriously diminished, fresh water mussel beds destroyed and more pollutants than ever pumped into the sea at Ayr.

Businesses, including fish farms dependant on water from the Doon and a new outdoor activity centre planned for Dalmellington, could also suffer badly.

Brian added: “Water quality in the Doon is quite high and as a result of that the fishing is very good.

“Any reduction in water quality could have serious consequences.

“It is hard to say anything positive about this.

“And the power it would generate is very small. It could easily be replaced by two wind turbines.”

The move has prompted the Scottish Countryside Alliance to launch an online petition against it.

The group explains: “The Doon is the finest salmon river in Ayrshire, a fact which has significant economic benefits for the county, but also important social and recreational benefits too.

“It would appear that Scottish Power has used the introduction of new legislation - the Water Frameworks Directive as a means of justifying its application.

“The hugely increased volume of water being transferred into the Dee would enable the company to generate more electricity and consequently income.”

Ayr MSP John Scott insists that the plan is little more than environmental vandalism and vowed to fight it all the way.

He said: “It would pose a danger to a number of important protected species found in the river and of course threaten the Doon’s excellent reputation for fishing.”

“I also have serious concerns about the damage that this plan could have on the wider environment, since control of diffuse pollution is a major factor in determining the cleanliness of local bathing waters and reducing the flow of water in the Doon could impact badly on that water quality.

“I have already been in touch with Scottish Power to raise my concerns with them.

“I want to see them drop this plan which I believe will be strongly opposed by communities right across southern Ayrshire and which in my view amounts to little more than environmental vandalism.”

And South Ayrshire Council’s environment spokesman Councillor Peter Convery added: “The council is very interested in the potential environmental impact on the river.

“This could have serious consequences for our bathing waters and for our tourist industry.”

But a spokesman for Scottish Power insists that the move is necessary to meet EU regulations.

He said: “In order to meet the forthcoming requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive, ScottishPower has been working on proposals in conjunction with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and independent ecological consultants to identify the best outcome for the water bodies affected by their operations in the Galloway Hydro Scheme.

“Independent consultants have been commissioned to look at the implications for the ecology of these water bodies in the event that certain compensation flows throughout the scheme were varied in line with guidance issued by the SEPA.

“There are currently a number of water bodies within the scheme that do not achieve SEPA’s criteria for good ecological potential in terms of flows.

“ScottishPower is reviewing the potential to increase the compensation flow in a number of water bodies in the scheme to meet the required status of good ecological potential.”

He went on: “A number of other initiatives designed to enhance the ecology of these water bodies such as variable flow regimes that replicate more natural river flow conditions and the installation of additional fish passes, are also being considered.

“A good example of how we could improve the Doon is related to compensation flows.

“Compensation flows currently applied to the Doon, are significantly higher than the minimum requirement that SEPA would require for good ecological potential to be achieved.

“We are therefore considering the feasibility of a reduction in this baseline compensation flow to allow greater flexibility for variable flows and freshets i.e. to replicate natural conditions in the Doon and in other parts of the Hydro scheme.”

And he said that they will continue to work with SEPA to ensure that monitor the potential environmental impact, adding: “Any future proposals for amendments to compensation flows in the Galloway Hydro Scheme will be submitted to SEPA for their consideration as per licence requirements. SEPA are obliged to consult statutory consultees as part of the licence variation determination process.”