1. Flow Regulation on the River Awe
Alan Kettle-White

2. The River Awe 5 km length HMWB (S&SE) Good EP 22 MW Scheme
Loch Etive
Power House
5 km length
HMWB (S&SE)
Good EP
22 MW Scheme
Built
NW Hydro Board
Awe Salmon Fishery
Hatchery replaced spawning at Barrage
Barrage / intake
Loch Awe

3. Migration Corridor & Nursery Habitat

4. The Awe Barrage 2 x radial flood gates Boreland fish lift
Comp flow via top generator set

5. Old flow profile 2011

6. Regulated Flow - Summer

7. Regulated Flow - Winter

8. River Awe - Fish Recruitment
Objectives; Identify & tackle factors affecting fish passage & spawning
Spawning sites- Redd counts
Assess egg-to-smolt survival – electrofishing surveys
Identify potential to improve condition of habitats – habitat survey
Inform flow regulation regime
Mitigate loss of spawning sites
Project partners; Argyll Fisheries Trust
Awe District River Improvement Association
Scottish & Southern Energy
Scottish Government (via RAFTS)

9. R. Awe Study Conclusions
Downstream Fish Passage
Salmon smolts
Salmon Kelts
Ferox trout
Spawning
Shortage of optimal spawning sites
Supply of spawning material
Insufficient flow at spawning time
Some spawning sites left high and dry in winter
Comp / Freshet flow review
Spawning site & flow mitigation / creation
Produce plans and obtain licenses

10. Flow changes - Objectives
AIMS; Increase ‘naturalness’ of flows to better serve general ecology & improve recruitment of Juvenile fish
Egg incubation; >Jan-March 700,000 (m³/day)
Alevin Survival; < April; 900,000 (m³/day)
Emergent Fry > May – 15th June; 1,000,000 (m³/day)
Inverts & fish growth; 16th June – July; 700,000 (m³/day)
Increase habitat area; Aug-Sept; >900,000 (m³/day)
Spawning; Oct – >Dec; 800,000 (m³/day)
Freshets; 10 times per year at 1,500,000 (m³/day); 23 days
Spare water for adaptive management

11. New flow profile 2012

12. Assessment of new flow regime
1. Fish counter validation
Assess adult migration in relation to
new flow discharge (December)
2. Early fry emergence
Electrofishing at spawn sites (May)
3. Assess juvenile habitat suitability
Map fry habitat at different flow
discharges (May, July, Sept & Oct)
4. Redd counts
Assess use of spawning habitat (Oct to January)
5. Habitat Restoration options
Spawning site & flow restoration / creation
Produce plans and obtain licenses

13. Off-line Spawning

14. Low flow channel connection

15. Anglers? All 1 SW grilse 4 to 8lb No fresh run fish
Some left to fish on other rivers
All of them moaned
Some of them caught fish
All 1 SW grilse 4 to 8lb
No fresh run fish