Doonholm dam breach now complete

The breach in the Doonholm Dam has now been made safer for canoeists.  The remaining lower section of the breach was removed today opening it up for canoe passage. There was a good run in the water today but the entire flow was going through the breach. There are low...

Doonholm Garden Open Day Sun 29th May

On Sunday 29th May 2011 Doonholm Gardens will be open to the public through the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme. This is a great opportunity to see round these lovely gardens on the Bonnie Banks O’Doon. See here for details. The gardens are open from 2-5pm....

River Irvine Angling Improvement Association

The River Irvine Angling Improvement Association are holding their AGM this Sunday evening (15th May, 7pm) at the Scout Hall, New Farm Loch Kilmarnock. Amongst the usual reports will be a discussion on the pro’s and con’s of establishing a district salmon...

Catrine Hydro application

Catrine Community Trust/East Ayrshire Council recently submitted an application to abstract up to 4cubic meters/sec of water from the River Ayr at Catrine to supply a hydro electric power scheme. The water would be taken from the river at Catrine Weir and returned...

Death of a dam

Ayrshire’s rivers are not short of old weirs and the like. In many cases the mill and lades have either been redeveloped or little trace remains of their whereabouts, but a legacy of old weirs remain.Without maintenance these weirs eventually crumble. Over the...

March Browns in Ayrshire

Following a recent report of large brown upwinged flies hatching on the Doon at Dalrymple I went a had a look at the river at noon last weekend. Right on cue at 12:10 a few large flies started to hatch amongst the smaller olives. After running about midstream I...