Ness Weir II

Statera Energy

Ness Weir II

Helping to secure the future of Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal

Have your say

Public Consultation - Phase 1 Now Closed

We are grateful to everyone who attended the first round of public consultation events, and provided valuable feedback. We are currently reviewing all of the feedback received, and will be holding further consultation events to provide an update on the proposals in 2025.

View event materials
Ness Weir II.

The Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness

Over 200 years ago, the legendary Scottish Civil Engineer Thomas Telford created the engineering marvel the Caledonian Canal. He created an east to west transportation route across Scotland along the Great Glen, including Loch Ness. It comprised a series of lochs and canal locks, as well as bridges and aqueducts, and is still in use today.

Today, Loch Ness is just as important as it ever was, lying at the centre of the Highlands’ economy, providing jobs in tourism, green energy, and utilities. The loch’s ecosystem supports biodiversity with many species of flora and fauna.

Ness Weir

A key element of the Caledonian Canal design was Ness Weir (known locally as 'Dochfour Weir'), which is the point where Loch Dochfour and the River Ness come together.

Ness Weir was designed to ensure the water levels through Loch Ness and into the Caledonian Canal are maintained at a level which allows boats to transit through the Canal. Water levels in Loch Ness are controlled by Ness Weir via existing sluice gates.

A weir is a low-lying structure across a waterway which creates a barrier that raises water levels on the upstream side. Water then spills over the weir crest and water levels are controlled with mechanical structures such as sluice gates or tilting weirs.

The site

Ness Weir II

The Ness Weir II Proposal

Statera Energy Limited is proposing the Ness Weir II project, to modify the existing weir to provide future resilience against the impacts of climate change. The modifications will include raising the crest height of the existing weir, creating a new fish pass and installing a new outlet sluice in the form of a tilting weir.

By doing this, water levels can be more effectively managed to future proof Loch Ness from the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, providing vital resilience for all who depend on Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal.

The proposal to modify the existing weir will help to:

  • It will reduce curtailment on pumped storage hydro in the summer months
  • It will help provide resilience to Loch Ness for all users of its waters and those ecologically sensitive areas at its edges; and
  • It will help make possible the use of the canal for freight during the construction phase of pumped storage hydro projects, thus reducing the impact on the road transportation system and its users
Ness Weir II.

Why is the project needed?

More dramatic seasonal changes in the weather are increasing the probability of lower water levels in Loch Ness. With climate change these low water events are likely to increase in the future. Low water impacts businesses, leisure users, the canal, other waterways, and the loch environment.

Whilst our Loch Kemp Storage (link to project page) project remains viable without any modifications to the existing weir, over the project's lifetime, water stress within the Loch Ness catchment is expected to increase, with or without more pumped storage hydro.

Ness Weir II will help future-proof the Caledonian Canals for all users while at the same time contributing to providing vital long-duration energy storage to the National Grid.

Forecasts predict higher winter flows and lower summer flows

The flow rate of water into the Loch Ness catchment has been monitored over more than 40 years. The black line on the graph shows the average monthly flow rate between 1981 and 2022. Climate change modelling to support the project's Environmental Impact Assessment forecasts wetter winters and drier summers in the future, with significantly higher flow rates in the winter and lower flow rates in the summer. This is shown by the red line on the graph. The shaded area shows the difference in flow rate, between the historic average and the forecast, if no action is taken to modify the weir.

Our plans for the Ness Weir II project secure the future of all those who enjoy and depend upon Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal for work, leisure or travel

Have your say

Public Consultation - Phase 1 Now Closed

We are grateful to everyone who attended the first round of public consultation events, and provided valuable feedback. We are currently reviewing all of the feedback received, and will be holding further consultation events to provide an update on the proposals in 2025.

View event materials