ALLAN WATER 63 



off is not returned to the river above the Keirfield dam met 

 below, but runs into the lade of the Keirfield mill. The next 

 dam dyke is one of the most serious in the river, viz. the 

 Airthrie Dyke, which supplies a paper mill. The weir is 167 

 feet long and 9 ft. 6 in. high. The downstream face has a 

 gradient of 1 in 5. A pass has been constructed on this weir so 

 as to take advantage of some rock ledges which project into 

 the river from the right bank. 



At Kippenross a cruive used to exist, and although this has 

 long been cleared away the rocks still check fish, and are 

 reported to afford a point of vantage for fish-snatchers. Above 

 this is the Lower Keir Mill, which has an exemplary form of 

 dyke running off to a vanishing point. Then comes the Upper 

 Keir Mill, with its dyke below the railway viaduct, where a 

 gap is needed. The Dunblane Dam Dyke next above is 

 another bad barrier unprovided with either gap, fish pass, or 

 hecks, and where, moreover, much water is wasted which 

 might, with advantage to the salmon and little inconvenience 

 to any one, be sent over the dyke. A short distance above 

 this is a curious feature. A dyke exists intended for some 

 sort of mill which never was built. It is not a very serious 

 dyke, but is a quite needless obstruction, rather typical of the 

 kind of treatment Allan Water has been subjected to. Spring- 

 bank Wool Mill Dyke, Ashfield Dyke, and Kinbuck Dyke are 

 the remaining obstacles to the ascent of fish, and as Kinbuck 

 is only 6 miles from the mouth of the river, it will be seen 

 that the spawning fish which attempt to ascend the Allan 

 have a pretty series of obstacles to contend with before they 

 have gone very far. Gravid fish have but a poor chance of 

 getting up with any sort of ease, and, before the Airthrie Pass 

 was constructed used to be baled out with landing nets and 

 transferred to the upper water by the bailiffs of the District 

 Board and some willing helpers. 



