Kelvin Habitat Survey

A message from Willie Yeomans:

The Clyde River Foundation has just finished the first phase of the Kelvin Habitat Survey – walking and mapping the catchment using a pretty basic methodology but one which should allow us to make a sensible assessment of what we might be able to fo habitat-wise to improve things in the short, medium and longer-term.  We have covered the main stem of the Kelvin as far upstream as Auchinstarry Bridge plus the Glazert, Allander (main stem), the Luggie as far up as the railway viaduct above Waterside and the Bothlin Burn as far upstream as Bothlin Bank.  We have the info we collected on hard copy maps, so there will be a pretty serious data crunching and mapping exercise between now and Easter.  There are some issues with surveying at this time of year but I think it would be fair to say that we now consider the Allander and Glazert to be disproportionately important to the Kelvin’s salmonid production.  These should be protected pretty much at all costs.

While we’re putting the report together, it struck me that it would be a good idea to invite comments from regular anglers regarding the following (please pm me for obvious reasons ):

1. Areas where there are problems with pollution from pipe ends or from land or road runoff.

2. Areas where spawning activity has been witnessed.

3.  Areas where the following plants have been seen:  Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogweed or Skunk Cabbage.

Cheers,

Willie Y.

Willie can be contacted through the Clyde River Foundation Site.