Tay Western Catchments Project
What is the project?
A large scale catchment management initiative covering over 1000 miles of rivers and watercourses in the western catchments of the Tay river system, centred on Glen Lochay, Glen Lyon and the Dochart/ Fillan/ Cononish system. Managed by Scottish Native Woods in Aberfeldy, Highland Perthshire.
Scottish Native Woods are working in partnership with, among others, the local angling community, local landowners and the Tay Gillies Association.
We are currently aiming to complete the draft of the final report by the end of March and it will be available here as a download file when ready.
After nearly three years this phase of the project is almost complete and we will publicly launch the report to ensure maximum circulation of the key recommendations in the relevant areas.
This has been a long and comprehensive process that will, hopefully, bear fruit in the coming months and seasons and we look forward to working with local groups and partners to take forward some of the recommendations.
To discuss the project please contact Victor Clements on 01887 829220 or email victor.clements@scottishnativewoods.org.uk and keep up-to-date on Tay Western Catchments Blog
Reports
Download the Pilot Survey Report
WCP Full Interim Report.pdf
WCP Summary Interim Report.pdf
In addition to our 1000 mile riparian survey, Scottish Native Woods have commissioned a report on land use, geology and water quality of the western catchments area. This report has been compiled by the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI) and has been paid for by a generous donation from the Tay Ghillies Association.
You can read or download the reports here.
Western Tay Land Use Geology and Water Quality Rep.pdf
Western Catchments in the Context of Tayside.pdf
Western Catchments Projects Land Use Report.pdf
Glen Lyon Land Use Map.pdf
Glen Lochay Land Use Map.pdf
Glen Dochart Land Use Map.pdf
Western Catchments Projects Geology Report.pdf
Glen Lyon Geology Map.pdf
Glen Lochay Geology Map.pdf
Glen Dochart Geology Map.pdf
Western Catchments Projects Water Quality Report.pdf
The Tay Western Catchments Project covers a particularly heavily designated area with a wide range of sites of national importance, some of which are extensive.
The following notes and accompanying maps explain where these sites are, why they are designated and how they relate to one another.
TWCP-Designated Sites Notes.pdf
Designated Sites Glen Dochart.pdf
Designated Sites Glen Lochay.pdf
Designated Sites Glen Lyon.pdf
How the survey progressed
To view photos and videos of our work, during the survey, you can link to:Tay Western Catchments Blog
Surveying involved walking all the tributaries marked on a 1:50,000 scale Landranger Ordnance Survey map. Some 60% of these are minor tributaries which are often overlooked from a fishing point of view. However, put together, they have an important cumulative effect on the river as a whole, and much of the wider biodiversity has been found associated with these smaller streams.
Where have we surveyed? See here Area Map.pdf
How many miles?
Surveyors can cover approx 3.5 miles each in a day, although exact distances vary depending on the terrain, and the weather can severely curtail what we can achieve in a day.
We have now finished the survey phase our project, finishing the 1000 miles at the symbolic 'source of the Tay' on Ben Lui. We believe that we have redefined the source of the biggest river system in Britain. Over the course of the winter, we will be analysing the data we have collected and will be producing a draft report of our findings in the spring.
Please contact 01887 829220 or email victor.clements@scottishnativewoods.org.uk
| Completed 10 December 2008 | Lyon | Lochay | Dochart (Fillan) | Total |
| Length of watercourses (miles) | 294.0 | 296.5 | 413.0 | 1000.0 |
| Number of miles surveyed | 294.0 | 296.5 | 413.0 | 1003.5 |
| % of individual river | 100.0 | 100 | 100.0 | |
| % of Total | 29.4 | 29.7 | 41.3 | 100.4 |
Training Day at Ben Lawers
It is extremely difficult to identify montane (mountain region) willows which is a species we particularly want to accurately record.
Here you see us with National Trust for Scotland rangers, David Marden and Andrew Warwick (out of shot), on a training session at their Ben Lawers site.
Identification still proves difficult!
Tracks
We know there are otters and mink on the Fillan. These otter tracks were found at Loch Lubhair. Otters are a welcome part of the eco-system. Mink, on the other hand, will take fish during the winter months and we might speculate that exhausted kelts might well be very vulnerable to them. Mink can also devastate water fowl and other bird-life and are the main reason for decline in our water-vole population, the most endangered mammal in Britain today. Mink control will be one of our key recommendations.
Dochart
Loch Dochart is the smaller of two lochs on the Dochart, Loch Iubhair being the other.
It is very shallow as a result of sedimentation over the years. Although this has affected the fishing interest it has allowed reeds and other marginal plants to grow and is now an important area for breeding birds.
Protection Orders
The local freshwater fishing interests are safe-guarded by the Tay Protection Order which is policed by the local angling clubs and the Tay Liaison Committee. Affordable fishing permits are available from many local outlets.
Landowners receive extra local bailiffing input from angling club members in return for making their waters available for use. It is a good system.
The Hervie Burn
Many smaller tributaries feed the bigger rivers and also contribute valuable fish habitat to the overall system. Fish in these smaller tributaries can often escape the harmful effects of big floods on the main river.
Although relatively short, the Hervie burn is an example of good riparian habitat.
No Vegetation
A high percentage of the Dochart catchment is under commercial forestry, mostly Sitka Spruce like this which shades out all the light and leaves the ground devoid of all vegetation.
No vegetation, no insects - no insects, no fish!
The drainage ditches between every row of trees can contribute sediment to neighbouring watercourses which can become badly silted and very compacted.
There are ways of mitigating these problems but both good and bad practices have veen noted in the Dochart catchment. Some 120-150 miles of tributaries on the Dochart system are overplanted like this.
Too many trees!
Clearfelling operations allows the opportunity to provide a more sympathetic type of woodland next to watercourses. Unfortunately, someone has got carried away here planting 100% broadleaf cover at 2m x 2m spacing right up to the burn again.
Not only is this expensive but by the time these trees grow, and some birch and willows have regenerated beside them, this will again be a very dark corridor that the burns flows through.
Watercourses need dappled shade.
A 20-30% cover of trees in the 20m either side of the burn would be sufficient to create a good riparian zone.
Planting fewer trees means less expense and higher profits which should encourage continuous management which might free up more tributaries like this one.
Previously this would have been planted with Sitka Spruce with very little, if any, of a buffer zone through which light may penetrate to the forest floor.
