SEPA Freshet
Please be advised that SEPA has taken the decision to cancel the additional freshet requested from Talla/Fruid for Wednesday this week due to wet weather forecast for the area midweek. 22nd May 2024.
Tackling Rises In Temperature
There are two main ways in which we can help cool our rivers: casting shade over the river by planting trees and by increasing the volume of water in the river. This can be done by releasing water back into the river from reservoirs through what is known as a 'freshet'.
Not only does having a greater volume of water in the river help cool the river, but it also results in water temperatures fluctuating less.
There are three reservoirs throughout the Tweed catchment catchment from which freshets are released; the Talla Reservoir, Fruid Reservoir and Whiteadder Reservoir.
Freshets are only released during periods of low water, in order to try and raise the river levels. However, the extent to which these freshets have an effect on river levels and temperatures throughout the entire catchment is still unclear. The Tweed Foundation are looking into the effects of freshets on water temperature and river levels at several locations along the river.
Cooling The River Tweed Catchement
Riparian tree planting is deemed to be the most practical and effective method of cooling our rivers. However, there are challenges that come with this approach.
One of these challenges is the scale at which trees need to be planted at. In order to cool larger river channels, their tributaries also need to be cooled. Therefore, trees need to be planted along riverbanks throughout whole catchments to have the greatest cooling effect. In the Tweed's case, this is a massive area.
The trees also need to be planted in the right way. MSS have found that factors such as aspect, channel size and orientation, and tree species can all influence how effective riparian planting is at cooling the river. For example, trees planted on the north bank of a river flowing west to east will cast very little shade over the river and therefore have relatively little cooling effect compared to trees planted on the south bank.
To get around these challenges, MSS have been able to model where in the catchment water temperatures will reach highest as well as where in the catchment riparian planting will have the greatest cooling effect.
The Tweed Foundation are currently in discussions with land owners, exploring possibilities of planting in these areas to help future proof the catchment against rising water temperatures.
Image The Rankle Burn, a habitat improvement site in which the Tweed Foundation carried out riparian planting
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