The River Tweed Commission have issued an update on water temperatures and flows on the river Tweed, and what they are doing to mitigate the effects of prolonged heat waves, as we’ve experienced for the last two years.
An update from the River Tweed Commission on water temperatures
The low water conditions and heat waves in July 2022 and June 2023 has focussed minds on how we try to manage the Tweed catchment to minimise water temperatures and the stress that can be placed on fish, particularly salmon and trout. The River Tweed Commission continues to be in dialogue with SEPA regarding licensed water abstraction as it is important that we maximise the amount of water available in the river. Certainly, more consideration needs to be put into how farmers can use water for irrigation more wisely, including the adoption of trickle irrigation and storage of water from winter rainfall.
The Tweed Foundation continues to study the effect of freshets from reservoirs on river water temperature and whether freshets can help cool the main stem of the Tweed. As part of the Salmon Implementation Plan for Scotland, a scientific advisory group has provided advice on water temperatures for angling, recommending extra care for water temperatures between 18°c and 20°c and to cease fishing above 20°c. At present there is no agreed system of providing live updates on Tweed water temperature – equipment is being trialled this year and will hopefully be available in 2024. Updated catch and release advice can be found here.
Support the Tweed Foundation
The work being carried out on the river by the Tweed Foundation is essential in monitoring the health of the river and its fish stocks. As a charitable trust, much of our work depends on external funding and we are always incredibly grateful for any kind of support received – read more.
