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The Pitlochry fish ladder is a fish ladder next to the Pitlochry Power Station on the River Tummel near Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross, Scotland that allows salmon to travel upstream during the breeding season.
[edit] Construction details
The ladder was constructed as a result of a 1943 Act of Parliament which laid a duty of care on the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to preserve fish stocks in the waterways encompassing its power schemes.
It was completed in 1951 alongside the dam for the hydro-electric power station as part of the Tummel Hydro-Electric Power Scheme and was installed in 1952. It was the first of its type in Scotland.[1]
The fish ladder consists of 34 separate pools, each 1.6 feet (50 cm) higher than the last and covering a distance of 339 yards (310 m).[2] Each pool has a 3.3 feet (1 m) opening below the water level to allow the fish to pass to the next pool; a continuous flow of water maintains the water level in the pools.[3] There are three larger pools which allow the fish to rest during their ascent, and one of these has an underwater viewing area with a glass wall and CCTV cameras to allow the public to observe the fish making their climb during the breeding season. The ladder is equipped with a fish counter which allows the number of fish making the journey each year to be recorded. In 2006, 7,238 fish were recorded travelling up the ladder.[4]
The dam across the River Tummell at Pitlochry (that led to the formation of Loch Faskally) was constructed between 1947 and 1950 as part of the Board's Tummel Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. Without the fish ladder it would have been an impassable obstacle for the migrating salmon.[2]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Eatherley, D.M.R., Thorley, J.L., Stephen, A.B., Simpson, I., MacLean, J.C. & Youngson, A.F (2005). "Trends in Atlantic salmon: the role of automatic fish counter data in their recording". Scottish Natural Heritage. http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/F01NB02.pdf. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
- ^ a b "Pitlochry Fish Ladder". Gazetteer for Scotland. http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8993.html. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
- ^ Countryfile (Television series). BBC. 2006.
- ^ "News: 2006 Salmon Season". Pitlochry Angling Club. 2006. http://www.pitlochryanglingclub.co.uk/news.html. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
[edit] External links
- Fishcounts Pitlochry Dam Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board
