LENY WATER 49 



outlet is very narrow opposite St. Bride's Signal Box on the 

 Callander and Oban line, which traverses the Pass and western 

 side of the loch, and the banks and substructure might with 

 advantage be tested to see if a weir and easy pass could be 

 erected. 



If, as I believe to be the case, the fishing value of Loch 

 Vennacher, and the Vennacher water is for ever impaired by 

 the abstraction of water to Glasgow, and the value of the 

 Teith also impaired by the lack of water from a former 

 important source, it may still be possible to restore the Teith 

 to its former value by increasing the water supply from Loch 

 Lubnaig, and in so doing to improve also the fishing of the 

 Leny and Loch Lubnaig and the higher lochs. Not only 

 would sporting capabilities and values be certainly increased, 

 but improved facilities for the distribution of spawning fish 

 brought about. 



An increase to the Leny water would increase to some extent 

 the drawing power of the river as compared with the stream 

 from Loch Vennacher, and might, therefore, be regarded as to 

 some extent a condition adverse to the latter, but the ascent 

 and the rising properties of the fish in the whole of the Teith 

 would be improved. 



In this connection it might be necessary to deal to some 

 extent with the Falls of Leny. These falls have two channels 

 separated by a rocky island. The channel at the right bank 

 is quite precipitous, but the channel by the left bank, although 

 rocky and broken, is not impassable to fish. In cold winters, 

 or perhaps more accurately after cold autumns, fish will not 

 ascend the fall with any freedom. To reduce the gradient of 

 the left channel and to blast or remove two or three of the 

 worst rocks would result in fish ascending at an earlier date 

 and at more frequent periods ; but before any alterations were 

 decided upon it would be well to study carefully the effects of 

 increased water flow. 



There is no doubt that in favourable winters a very con- 

 siderable number of fish pass through the Leny into the loch. 

 It is probable that with easier ascent and an increased stock 

 of fish brought about by the various means adopted in other 

 parts of the district, and let us hope by the reduction of both 

 netting and pollution in the lower Forth, Loch Lubnaig would 



D 



