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Protecting the Penwhirn Burn (Luce catchment)
Enhancing habitat and climate resilience.
The Penwhirn Burn was dammed in the the 1950s to create Penwhirn Reservoir and provide drinking water for 27,000 people in Dumfries and Galloway.
The reservoir supports a healthy brown trout population, though one that is isolated from other populations due to the dam.
The vast majority of spawning and juvenile habitat for this population is provided by the inflowing Penwhirn Burn, meaning that any disturbance to this burn would have a significant impact on this brown trout population.
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Location of Penwhirn Burn in Galloway.
With increasing summer temperatures and prolonged periods of drought, many upland watercourses and headwater burns are at risk of becoming inhospitable to many aquatic species, including trout. This is particularly the case for Penwhirn Burn where there is currently very little riparian tree or shrub cover.
Broadleaf tree planting along the burn, especially on the south bank, will provide future shade that will be critical to keeping waters cool.
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Native broadleaf planting along the burn using Tubex Nature biodegradable tree guards.
Deep pools are also important for fish in the context of climate change, providing refuge during periods of high water temperature or drought. Instream structures such as boulders, fallen trees and woody debris diversify flows and force the creation of a diversity of instream features such as pools.
Instream structure added to provide diversity of instream habitats and refuge from high flow events.
For example, woody debris can lead to the constriction of flows, creating scour pools downstream, force bank erosion and migration of the channel, creating a lateral scour pool or can hold back water, creating backwater pools. This diversity of instream habitat will benefit the various lifestages of trout including spawning and juvenile trout (fry and parr)
Instream structure built to constrict flows and create a scour pool to provide deeper pool refuges from high temperatures and drought.
Instream structure also provides refuge for fish during the increasingly extreme high flow events that we are experiencing, without which huge numbers of juveniles can be washed out.
Instream structure creating a backwater pool, holding water even through prolonged periods of drought.
We plan to expand this project further in the future, with the Penwhirn Burn highlighted as a priority burn in a GFT review of the Water of Luce catchment due to future impacts from climate change.
Phase 1 of the works were completed in early 2023 with 500 native trees planted in biodegradable tree guards and 7 instream structures constructed. Many thanks to Dumfries & Galloway Council for funding the phase 1 works (through Nature Restoration Fund) and to Fountain Forestry for permission, access and assistance with this work. Stranraer and District Angling Association have been involved too as they fish for wild brown trout in the Penwhirn Reservoir.