{"id":390,"date":"2009-05-18T14:19:45","date_gmt":"2009-05-18T14:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bxttlines.wordpress.com\/?p=390"},"modified":"2009-05-18T14:19:45","modified_gmt":"2009-05-18T14:19:45","slug":"save-the-doon-campaign-unifies-and-gathers-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btl.longlinemedia.co.uk\/index.php\/2009\/05\/18\/save-the-doon-campaign-unifies-and-gathers-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"Save the Doon campaign unites and gathers strength"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The lower Doon: water flow plan "drastic" for fishery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

THE CAMPAIGN to stop Scottish Power reducing the water flow in Ayrshire’s most productive salmon river, is gathering strength.\u00a0 Signatories to the Save the Doon<\/a> online petition have doubled in just a matter of days and the various groups of objectors have now unified under a single steering committee to co-ordinate their efforts.<\/p>\n

David Cosh, of Doonfoot Fishings who is helping to pull the campaign together, said today:<\/p>\n

\u201cOur target is to achieve 45,000 signatories.\u00a0 That might seem high for a small river and area such as ours, but if we can achieve that result, the Scottish Power plan will have to be referred to the House of Commons.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the campaign was only just starting to get into gear.\u00a0 A comprehensive plan of actions is expected to emerge when the committee meets again next month.<\/p>\n

A compensation flow of 45 million gallons per day was agreed as part of the Galloway Water Power Act in 1935 after Loch Doon was dammed for hydro-electricity generation.<\/p>\n

The campaigners say Scottish Power proposes to cut this to\u00a0 28 million gallons per day and transfer the surplus to the Kirkudbrightshire Dee where it can boost electricity generation and consequently its profits.<\/p>\n

They predict a \u201cdrastic impact\u201d on salmon stocks and other species such as the freshwater pearl mussel and say the action \u201cwould effectively finish the Doon as a salmon river of any consequence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosh asks: \u201cWe are very disappointed that angling interests were not consulted about the Scottish Power plan and are interested to know why seasonal cuts in water flows appears not to have been considered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might have made sense to reduce the water flow for six months during the winter, when salmon stocks were less likely to be affected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Doonfoot<\/a>
Doonfoot Fishings salmon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to the Ayrshire Rivers Trust<\/a>\u2019s management plan, the River Doon has \u201cconsistently returned the highest salmon catch of all the Ayrshire rivers and the proposal may have a significant impact on the fishery.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, some biologists are understood to be less convinced that reduced water flows, while impacting fishery interests,\u00a0 will necessarily seriously damage the overall ecology of the river.<\/p>\n

Scottish Power, in a statement<\/a> today says it is studying the feasibility of a\u00a0 reduction in the baseline compensation flow \u201cto 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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