Public consultation event
Event one - November 2024
Public consultation Ness Weir II
Welcome to our first public consultation for Ness Weir II. The purpose of this exhibition is to share our initial proposals for Ness Weir and obtain feedback to help inform and shape the proposals.
The history of Loch Ness
Loch Ness is an integral part of Scotland's landscape, known worldwide for its beauty and history. As the largest body of freshwater by volume in the UK, it holds more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. At the centre of centuries of history, battles and castles and the persistent tales of a loch monster, Loch Ness has an established place in Scotland's cultural identity.
Its importance is not simply around tourism. Today, Loch Ness is just as important as it ever was, lying at the centre of the Highlands' economy, providing jobs in a range of sectors including tourism, green energy, transport and utilities. The Loch’s ecosystem is a diverse environment supporting a wide range of flora and fauna.
Over 200 years ago, the legendary Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford created the Caledonian Canal. He created an east to west transportation route across Scotland along the Great Glen, including Loch Ness; to improve transportation and trade in Scotland, encourage development in the Highlands, and provide a safer route for ships. It included a series of locks and canals, as well as bridges and aqueducts, and is still in use today.
Thomas Telford
Loch Ness
Introducing 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 that 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 sluice gates.
What is a weir?
A weir is a low-lying structure across a waterway, creating a barrier which has the effect of raising water levels on the upstream side. Water can then spill over the weir crest and water levels can be controlled with a mechanical structure such as sluice gates or tilting weirs.
Why is this project needed?
Across the UK, climate change is leading to more extreme variations in the weather, including longer, more frequent periods of drought in the summer and more frequent flooding in the winter.
Having identified the challenges during their design work on Loch Kemp Storage, Statera is proposing to modify the existing Ness Weir to allow for better management of water levels on Loch Ness, future proofing it from the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. This will provide vital resilience for all who depend on Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal, including Statera's proposed pumped hydro scheme.
What is happening?
Recent years have shown a clear pattern emerging on Loch Ness which shows that during the summer average water flows are reduced, impacting water levels. Water levels then increase during the winter.
Loch Ness has seen an increasing number of instances of low water levels which has a major adverse impact on boat traffic navigating through the canal and loch, and on lochside habitats. This presents a serious challenge for all users of Loch Ness.
Why does it matter?
Low water levels matter because they are having a negative impact on the users of Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal. Our studies indicate that, at times, there is not:
- Sufficient water in Loch Ness to meet the minimum operating level of the canal, impacting the operational activities of boats, with knock-on impacts to the local economy.
- Sufficient safe passage for salmonids (salmon, trout, smolt, etc.) to move from Loch Ness out to the Moray Firth and into the North Sea and back.
- Sufficient consistency in water levels to allow existing and planned pumped storage hydro projects to be optimised for year-round efficiency.
These trends are expected to worsen should the low water levels remain unaddressed.
Forecasts predict higher winter flows and lower summer flows
Our studies so far suggest that these low levels are caused by more dramatic changes in the weather than in the past. Climate change is a major factor in contributing to the increased frequency and duration of these low water events.
The flow rate of water into the Loch Ness catchment has been monitored over more than 40 years. The white 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.
Loch Ness
Ness Weir II
Our proposals
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. Stable water levels on Loch Ness will help provide vital energy security in the UK, as existing and planned pumped storage hydro projects can be optimised for maximum efficiency all year round.
Water levels in Loch Ness are controlled by Ness Weir, which is located at the point where Loch Dochfour and the River Ness come together. By building on Thomas Telford’s legacy, we can modify the weir to better manage water levels, thereby protecting the long-term future of Loch Ness, including its tourism economy, natural environment and its role as a vital contributor to energy security in the UK.
The modifications will include:
- Raising the crest height of the existing weir.
- Creating a new fish pass.
- Installing a new control structure in the form of tilting weirs.
- Setting up a Great Glen catchment monitoring and weather forecasting model.
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 proposals will help to:
- Ensure sufficient water levels to meet the minimum operation level of the canal.
- Ensure the fish environment for salmonids is protected.
- Allow for better management of flood control with the prospect of wetter winters.
- Reduce summer curtailment of existing and proposed pumped hydro schemes on the loch.
The modification of the weir would not change the existing maximum or minimum water levels on Loch Ness, or the surrounding water network. Our plans for the Ness Weir II project preserve Thomas Telford’s engineering legacy, securing the future of all those who enjoy and depend upon Loch Ness for work, leisure, or travel, as he intended.
Full project boundary, including access and temporary works areas.
Local and regional benefits
Improving the resilience of the weir provides certainty for all users of Loch Ness, and safeguards this historic part of Scotland for years to come. This is a project which has the potential to bring further economic benefit to the Great Glen.
Statera believes that this would have wide reaching benefits, including:
Improved flood control
The proposed modifications will address the impact of wetter winters which are being induced by climate change, providing vital resilience for all who depend on Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
Reduced summer curtailment
Summer curtailment of existing and proposed pumped hydro storage schemes on the Loch will be reduced. Reducing the potential for summer curtailment increases the efficiency of pumped storage hydro projects, which effectively reduces the cost of energy to consumers.
Water levels
Sufficient water levels to meet the minimum operation level of the canal will benefit users of the canal.
Protected fish environment
The fish environment for salmonids will be protected, securing safe passage from Loch Ness to the Moray Firth and into the North Sea and back.
Community benefit
TThe proposal for Ness Weir on its own would not require a community benefit fund; however, we recognise that we are proposing a fund for Loch Kemp Storage.
Due to the geographical proximity of these two proposals, and their shared opportunities, we propose extending the Loch Kemp Storage fund to also provide community benefit funding opportunities for the communities close to the Ness Weir site. More information will be shared on this as our proposals progress, and we welcome community feedback on the initiatives this funding could support.
Loch Ness
Environmental considerations
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is being undertaken to understand the potential impacts the Proposed Development could have on the environment and to identify appropriate mitigation measures to avoid, reduce or offset any adverse effects identified.
Topics included within the EIA
Aquatic Ecology
- Hydrology and Ground Conditions Survey.
- Geomorphological Walkover/ST:REAM (Sediment Transport: Reach Equilibrium Assessment Method) Survey.
- Migratory Fish (salmonids, eels, lamprey) Habitat Survey.
- Fresh Water Pearl Mussels (FWPM) Habitat Survey.
- Fish Species of Special Conservation Interest (Arctic charr).
- Freshwater Habitats and Macroinvertebrates.
Terrestrial Ecology
- Urquhart Bay Wood National Vegetation Classification.
- Ness Weir Habitat Survey.
- Otter Survey and Monitoring.
- Bat Surveys - Trees.
- Bat Emergence Surveys.
- Bat Hibernation Survey.
- Badger Survey.
- Pine Martin Survey.
Ornithology
- Breeding Bird Survey.
Hydrology and Soils
- Hydrology and Ground Conditions Survey.
Landscape and Visual
- Landscape Character Assessment.
- Assessment of Loch Ness and Duntelchaig Special Landscape Area.
- Visual Assessment.
Cultural Heritage
- Dochfour Weir Scheduled Monument Survey.
- Dochfour Garden and Designated Landscape and Associated Listed Buildings.
- Dochfour, Free Church and Burial Ground and Dochfour Church Cottage Kirkton.
Noise and Vibration
- Baseline Noise Survey.
Water is abstracted from the River Don and piped to the main site for the purposes of producing hydrogen and cooling the plant.
Construction process
Statera has a wealth of experience across the UK in how to do construction right. This includes close liaison with the community, working within site constraints and construction controls, and live monitoring of our construction works and effects. We are still at an early stage with these proposals and therefore construction methods are subject to change as the plans evolve.
Currently we expect that a cofferdam would be required around the upstream and downstream sections of the existing weir in order to enable the new control structure to be installed in the existing weir. A cofferdam is a watertight enclosure from which water is pumped to expose the bed of a body of water to permit the construction of the new structure. A temporary fish pass will also be installed during construction.
Works on the weir will be undertaken during in-water working periods stipulated in the project's Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licence from SEPA, which is informed by the local fishery board. Given these restrictions, it is estimated that the project could take around 24 months to complete.
The image below shows Meelick Weir in Ireland. Meelick Weir provides an example of a control structure formed of tilting weirs, developed to better manage water levels on the River Shannon.
Meelick Weir, Ireland
Who we are About Statera
We develop energy infrastructure to balance a high renewables electricity system. This includes battery storage, pumped storage hydro, flexible generation plants, and green hydrogen projects.
Our technologies ensure a reliable energy supply
As we increasingly rely on renewable sources of energy - like solar and wind - there are periods of extended shortfall and excess of energy production. Statera's infrastructure provides the storage capacity and flexibility that the grid needs to ensure we can keep the lights on when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
By facilitating the shift to a renewables-led energy system, these technologies are helping lower carbon emissions at the best value for energy users across the UK.
Loch Kemp Storage
Grendon Battery Storage
Why is Statera bringing these proposals forward?
Modifying the weir provides certainty for all users of Loch Ness and safeguards this historic part of Scotland for years to come.
This is a project which has the potential to bring resilience to the Great Glen, helping local businesses and tourism, leisure users, fishing use, those who use the canal for boating and transportation, and other users who will benefit from greater water resilience, including pumped storage hydro.
We intend it to be an exemplar project combining the finance and resource from the private sector with the skills in the public sector to bring benefit to all stakeholders.
We recognise that as a developer with proposals elsewhere on Loch Ness, we have an interest in ensuring our pumped storage hydro scheme can work to its maximum efficiency. Greater certainty in the management of water levels on Loch Ness will reduce operational curtailment of all pumped storage hydro schemes. We also propose to use the Caledonian Canal during the construction of our Loch Kemp Storage development, should it be consented, to transport materials and equipment which will also help to reduce the construction impact on the public road network.
This is why we are willing to fund Ness Weir II, although it will benefit a much broader range of businesses, as well as communities. Our plans for the Ness Weir II project preserve Thomas Telford’s engineering legacy, securing the future of all those who enjoy and depend upon Loch Ness for work, leisure, or travel, as he intended.
Feedback & timeline
Thank you for visiting our public exhibition to find out more about the proposals for Ness Weir II. Please take the time to provide feedback to let us know your views on the proposals.
Feedback
How and when to provide feedback
You can provide your views by completing our feedback form. Please note that feedback can be provided up until Friday 6th December 2024. If you have any further questions regarding any aspect of the proposals, please contact us via the details below.
Email: contact@nessweir2.co.uk
Post: Ness Weir II, C/O Cavendish, 220 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5SG
Phone: 0800 066 8943
Online: www.nessweir2.co.uk
How will feedback be used?
Feedback from the first round of consultation, alongside the ongoing technical and environmental studies, will help shape and inform the proposals going forward.
Will you hold further consultations?
We will hold a second round of consultation in early 2025. This will provide an opportunity for you to view the updated proposals, including changes that have been made following feedback received.
Please note
Any comments made to the Ness Weir II project team are not representations to the Planning Authority. If a planning application is subsequently submitted to the Highland Council, normal neighbour notification and publicity will be undertaken and the public will have the opportunity to make formal representations on that planning application at the time.
Timeline
Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) submitted
October 2024
First round of public consultation
November 2024
Second round of public consultation
Q1 2025
Application submission
Q1 2025
Construction begins
2027
Weir fully operational
2029