Posted 14th July 2010

Scottish Power application imminent

SavetheDoon.com understand that Scottish Power intend to submit an application to SEPA to reduce the flow in the River Doon before the end of July.

We also understand that they intend to apply to reduce the flow in the Doon down to 38.3million gallons/day from the current “new 45mgd”. The “new 45mgd” as it has been christened, follows a 5mgd reduction in the compensation flow applied recently when the equipment to measure the flow was recalibrated. Combining the “new 45mgd” with the proposed further reduction means that the flow in the river will be cut by almost 25% compared to its recent flow.

This will have a dramatic impact on the character of the river confirming the concerns raised by SavetheDoon.com that Scottish Power would effectively ruin the famous River Doon and everything that depends on it, all for the sake of a miniscule amount of renewable energy.

If the Doon is to be saved we will need a strong public response to the proposals once they are submitted. There will then be a 28 day period during which anyone can submit their views on the proposal. Please keep checking this website now as details of the application and how to make your views known will be provided.

A strong public response will be very important so if you are concerned about the future of the Doon please make your views known.

Posted 20th Apr 2010

All quiet on the Doon front

There have been no new developments regarding the SavetheDoon fight for several months now.

We were told by Scottish Power at the Ayr meeting in December that they intended to apply to SEPA for a variation in the abstraction licence within two months.  We have now heard that Scottish Powerwill not be submitting an application for a couple of months at least. This affair has dragged on now for the last three years causing a lot of anxiety amongst those who care for the health and well-being of the river.

Supporters can rest assured that the SavetheDoon group will not go away and that we will be ready to react when and if Scottish Power do eventually make an application.

We urge all our supporters to continue to check this website for the latest developments.

SavetheDoon

Posted 9th Dec 2009

Meeting with Scottish Power

Following a recent meeting between fisheries interests on the River Doon and Scottish Power in the Ramada Hotel, Ayr, Save the Doon.com are pleased to be able to report that Scottish Power confirmed that despite what had been indicated in a previous study commissioned by them they are not now seeking to reduce the compensation flow in the River Doon to 28 million gallons day.

Scottish Power has to address water management issues in the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee and at the meeting they presented a range of options all of which focussed on taking more water from the Doon with further reductions proposed for the compensation flow. One of these options was a reduction in the Doon compensation flow down to 32 million gallons day.

Scottish Power used statistics to support their claim that there will be no significant change in the flows down the River Doon. The statistics used are not robust and it was conceded by Scottish Power at the meeting if a different time period had been used, e.g. the last 15 years, rather than averaging the flow over 65 years then the average flows would have been significantly higher.

It is the express intention of Save the Doon.com to protect the river Doon from any further reductions in its flow and we will continue to fight to protect the river and the biodiversity it supports for the people of Ayrshire.

We would like to thank the the public for the great support shown to the Save the Doon campaign.

Posted 3rd Dec 2009

Save the Doon on Twitter

Catch up with Save the Doon on Twitter. Click the link to follow us… http://twitter.com/SaveTheDoon

Posted 26th Nov 2009

Sunday Post press coverage

The fight to protect the Doon river flow from the reductions wanted by Scottish Power received excellent coverage in the last edition of the Sunday Post. Save the Doon group Vice-Chairperson Carlos van Heddegem and local MSP John Scott were pictured on the banks of the Doon and were able to highlight the threat posed to the river.

The article can be read here

Posted 17th Nov 2009

Save the Doon public meetings

Public meetings are to be held in the Doon Valley at Patna and Dalmellington to raise awareness of the threat posed to the River Doon by the iminent application by Scottish Power to reduce the compensation flow in the river.

The meeting will include a presentation on the importance of the River Doon by Brian Shaw, Ayrshire Rivers Trust biologist, followed by a question and answer session.

The first meeting is at Patna on the 17th November, 7pm in the Community Centre. This will be followed by a meeting in Dalmellington on the 19th November, 7pm in the Community Centre. Please note that these are the correct times for the meetings not 8pm as printed in the Ayrshire Post.

Please come along to hear about the threat to the river and to discuss what can be done to fight this proposal.

Posted 3rd Dec 2009