This week, Welsh Dee Trust has released a new report which sets out the three key impacts to wildlife from the Dee Regulation Scheme. We believe the scheme, which ensures the river can provide water for 2 million households, is negatively impacting the wildlife of the river including important fishery species. These problems, combined with poor water quality, invasive species and habitat loss, are driving the decline in the freshwater biodiversity of the river.

The report identifies three key problems which are impacting the wildlife of the river.

 1. Reduction of naturally occurring spates causing disruptions to the life cycles of many freshwater species.

2. Rapid changes in releases from Llyn Celyn create highly unnatural flows in the Tryweryn, part of the SAC and an important Salmon spawning river.

3. The scheme’s infrastructure is blocking or disrupting the up and downstream migration of fish species.

The report identifies nine key recommendations which, if put into action, will begin to reduce environmental harm.

Peter Powell, CEO, said ‘Freshwater biodiversity is declining UK-wide at an alarming rate, including the River Dee. The reasons are wide and varied, but in this report released today, we have identified three key problems caused by the current Dee Regulation Scheme. Reducing the impact of these problems needs to be a priority if we are to reverse the decline in Dee’s wildlife.’

The full report can be downloaded here: