Dee river managers are to investigate the removal of a disused dam which poses a flooding threat to homes in an Aberdeen community.
The 5-metre-high structure sits across the Culter Burn just upstream of the Rob Roy statue in Peterculter. It is a remnant of the paper mill which closed in the 1980s. The dam structure, weir, sluice gate and mill lade are still present but are in a derelict state.
River Dee director Dr Lorraine Hawkins said: “The dam currently holds back tens of thousands of tons of silt and water.
"There is no evidence of an immediate threat to homes downstream which are already prone to flooding. But the impact of a catastrophic collapse following the kind of torrential rainfall we have come to experience recently doesn’t bear thinking about.
"Controlled removal of the dam, along with proposals for natural water-retention projects upstream, will reduce the threat to the local community.
"It will also boost biodiversity throughout the area, helping endangered species such as salmon and eels and enriching the whole ecosystem.”
At this stage, river managers are only examining the feasibility of removal, and the potential implications for people and nature. Stakeholder consultations with statutory bodies, including the local authority and environmental protection agencies, as well as engagement with the local community around the dam site are already in progress.
The River Dee team and partners achieved international recognition for the sensitive removal of the nearby Garlogie Dam in 2023. View the link to time-lapse video here - https://bit.ly/4h5rpMe
Funding for the feasibility study has been provided to the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board by the Open Rivers Programme, a grant-giving organisation dedicated to restoring rivers.
In the coming weeks a suite of field surveys will be commissioned to assess the geomorphological, hydrological, and topographical characteristics of the site, along with investigations of the dam structure and immediate surroundings. The study will take around 12 months, at which point findings will be shared and discussed around next steps.
This initiative will create a healthier and more connected river system, supporting long-term conservation efforts in the River Dee catchment. The study was announced at the ceremonial opening of the fishing season on the Dee and is part of a wider plan of habitat restoration by the conservation charity The River Dee Trust.
For more information on the River Dee please look at www.riverdee.org
For more information on the European Open Rivers Programme please visit www.openrivers.eu