1. Practical solutions to barrier
easement
Stuart Brabbs
Ayrshire Rivers Trust
1 Gibbsyard,
Auchincruive
Ayr KA6 5HW
stuart@ayrshireriverstrust.org
01292 737300

2. A technical solution but with
hindsight, was it the best
option?
Cost £550K (including
design, ground
investigations, site clearance
and construction)
Other alternatives were
considered and rejected
including removal, partial
removal and rock ramp

5. Increased depth, reduced velocity
Hagg Burn culvert prior to easement
Concentrated flow to attract fish
Installing oak Baffles

6. Tulloch Burn/Gower Water (excellent habitat
and water quality in the upper catchment)
This barrier lies at the very top of the River
Irvine catchment and consists of a steep
bridge apron and natural waterfall that was
modified by the roads department around
2008 (concrete and rock armour added).
Since 2008 it has been impassable to
salmonids.

7. ART designed the fish pass and
assisted contractors on site to
ensure a flexible approach was
taken. Trial and error achieved the
end result.
It still requires a bit of ‘tinkering’
here or there, but it’s certainly no
worse than before.

8. Trout were seen entering the fish
pass this winter but no salmon. ART
will monitor results over the next
few years
Two minor alterations will be
completed this summer that should
improve the performance

9. The case of the incredible vanishing baulks

10. Skeldon weir is passable. However a
new hydro development in 2017 led
to reduced flow over the weir.
The developer applied to SEPA for
permission to add timber baulks to
assist salmonid migration (on our
recommendation). This was granted.
A local resident complained and SEPA
instructed them to be removed

11. Funding barrier easement is
challenging when funding is lacking
or unavailable.
ART are creative and look for new
ways to deliver results with limited
budgets (or none on occasions).
Here’s practical recycling at work!

12. Taking a proven solution that
originated in New Zealand, ART
decided to attempt to make our own
flexible baffles for use in a culvert
(crucially at no cost).
The aim was to prove the concept
using a new material and three baffles
were fabricated & installed
temporarily to assess results (now
removed until CAR issued)

13. Bed cutting down after removing weir
Redundant weir
Pottery found in exposed substrates
Grubbing it out

14. A76 Culvert on the Glaisnock Water
ART provided guidance to Scotland
Transerve on fish passage at this
culvert . They took our advice and
installed simple concrete baffles to
produce a fish pass.
For the first time in 30 years, fish can
again move upstream

15. Top right: Another simple solution
to assist migration over a weir
Bottom: Pre assembling eel brushes
to a HDPE backing board that will be
bolted to a curved face on a dam

16. Ness Falls on the
Water of Coyle.
A long term barrier to
migration created when
concrete was added to
the crest of the falls
to allow abstraction
to power a sawmill
ART have asked SEPA to
prioritise this easement
as it should open up
over 25km of habitat to
migratory salmonids
ART estimate this
barrier could be eased
for around £5K