Another one Bites the Dust – Westfield Weir Removed!

For 100+ years fish have not been able to reach the headwaters of the Logie Water a tributary of the Avon, West Lothian. Westfield Weir blocked the river creating an impenetrable barrier to all fish movements upstream as well as impacting on the health of the river by creating a large impoundment (still, dead water) above it and reducing sediment transfer downstream.  The river has been released from this shackle with a brave removal of the weir (rather than technical fish pass solution) allowing the river to come back to life.

The weir, 2.4 metres high and 21 metres wide with an impoundment totalling roughly 240 metres, had previously served Westfield paper mill with cheap kinetic power and water for processing. After the mill closed, it was demolished in the early 2000’s but the weir was left in place. The site was then purchased by the Alba-Group, including the weir, as the site was earmarked for housing.  The subsequent planning permission stipulated that the weir had to be made passable to fish as a condition of the development.

Following initial discussions with the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board, in late summer 2021, the Trust through its consultancy arm Forth Rivers Consulting worked with the developer to start investigating the best possible option for fish passage. Luckily at this site, removal was deemed the best option for the ecology of the river and the species that depend on it as well as removing future liabilities for the developer and subsequent homeowners. 

During the investigation, staff assessed a number of key points to determine if it was safe to remove the weir. This included contamination tests of silt behind the weir, surveying the channel up and downstream to determine if it would impact on other parts of the river or built environment around it, ecological surveys so to develop a plan to protect the environment whilst works were taking place and as well aerial and ground mapping of the site.

The data collection, evaluations and design together with licensing took a number of months however with CAR licences granted, the works started on site in September 2022 and works to remove the weir were completed by the end of that month.  We worked with local contractor James Ritchie Engineering who also removed Seafield Weir on the Almond developing further local expertise in the removal of these damaging structures.

This project funded by the housing developer is a win-win for them, the rivers and the iconic species which depend on good river health such as Atlantic salmon, otters, trout, eels etc…

If you own a weir and would like to explore the option of full or partial removal, then please get in touch with Forth Rivers Consulting or the Forth Rivers Trust. trust@forthriverstrust.org