Strathclyde Park Works Update

The recent partial draining of Strathclyde Park loch, which has seen the water level reduced to the lowest levels in recent memory, has seen a significant number of wholly understandable concerns over potential fish losses raised to the SFCA by concerned anglers.  The SFCA has therefore been engaging with the Park Authorities to ascertain the reason for the works, which seem to have become a routine winter occurrence in recent years, and to find out how long they are likely to continue.

The Park Authorities have informed us that the works are being carried out for essential maintenance.  As the loch is classed as a reservoir, they have a statutory obligation to follow the Reservoir Act and receive annual inspections.  A recent inspection identified a number of key issues that had to be addressed and the current works are in the process of working through the list of issues in order of priority.

The Park Authorities have assured us that the intention is for all works to be completed before the 17^th January 2020.  At that point the sluice gate will be closed to allow the water level to come back up.   It is anticipated that the water levels will be back to normal around the end of the month.  Although the weather and river levels may have an impact.

The Park Authorities have to take into consideration a significant number of factors when scheduling essential maintenance works to try to minimise the impact on flora, fauna (including fish stocks), and users.  For this reason works requiring a lowering of the loch are usually conducted in the winter months when use of the water is at its lowest and the low water temperatures ensure that dissolved oxygen levels in the loch are higher, thus reducing the risk of fish losses.  During the current lowering of the loch, only 2 of the sluice gates were opened and the lowering was done in incremental stages to reduce any sudden change in the flow of the loch, or reductions in the dissolved oxygen levels.   While it is accepted that work at this time of year can increase the risk of predation by avian predators, it is still the best time of year from a fish welfare perspective.  The works are always carried out in the shortest possible timeframe and even when the water is lowered to its current level the loch continues to have a considerable surface area and a number of deeper areas to provide refuge for fish.

The Park Authorities will keep the SFCA up to date with any planned or emergency works and issues that could impact on access for fishing or fish stocks, and we will keep anglers updated through posts on the website and through our social media platforms.

Tags: Access to Fishing, Environment, Protecting Fish, Strathclyde Park