of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



9 



previous visit, of wadeing round the obstruction and in the salmon 

 pass so as to note the action of the water and to take accurate 

 measurements. As a result, I have suggested alterations which 

 provide for the prolongation of the pass into the pool above the 

 weir so as to secure a gradient of one in ten and the more adequate 

 checking and concentration of descending water. 



I also inspected the Skeldon Mills — a blanket manufactory — in 

 order to see the provision made to prevent the escape of the 

 scouring waste wash from injuring the river, concerning which 

 complaints were previously made, and to inspect the weir and lade 

 in connection with the works. The scouring is done by the use of 

 soap alone and the scour wash is the only waste material allowed 

 to pass from the works. This is run into a pond, where the soapy 

 material is allowed to settle, and the fluid from the pond is run off 

 into the river by a sluice under the control of the river watcher 

 who uses his discretion so as to make use of high river levels for 

 the discharge. At the time of my visit the pond was full and 

 emitted an evil smell from the decomposition of the soap and the 

 escape of noxious gases. I was informed that the pond had been 

 standing full for six weeks owing to the long continued low water 

 conditions. A slight amount of leakage was noticeable. I cannot 

 but regard the discharge of this soapy waste as most injurious to 

 the river ; at the same time it was very obvious that the manager 

 of the mills did all in his power to minimise any evils arising from 

 the existing conditions. The dam d}^ke above the mill was a not 

 very serious obstruction of loose stones. Towards the left bank 

 the obstruction vanished in the bed of the river. Towards the 

 right bank, where fish are most likely to ascend, a bye-wash exists 

 in the sill of the weir which could very easily be opened and used 

 as a fish pass when the state of the water is suitable for fish running, 

 and when the mill lade intake is closed. 



At the Dalmellington Iron Works a discharge of polluted 

 hot water takes place. The water appears to be used in 

 the works for cooling purposes. In its discharge from the 

 works, however, it first appears to receive a considerable amount 

 of impurity, then passing below the roadway and a number 

 of cottages it is grossly polluted by domestic sewage, and 

 is run into a few roughly constructed ditches in a marsh 

 between the cottages and the river. It is then joined by water 

 coming in a comparatively pure though heated state from other 

 parts of the works and is carried in a built ditch to the river. At 

 the outfall an examination trap has been fitted. Here the actual 

 foulness of the discharge is not obvious. It is probable, however, 

 that the percentage of oxygen is small. By means of a pocket 

 thermometer I ascertained the temperature to be 96° F., while the 

 water of the Doon above and at Loch Doon was 55° F. 



About a hundred years ago the outflow of the river from Loch Doon 

 was sluiced and a great barrier of rock tunnelled by Earl Cassilis and 

 Mr. Macadam of Craigengillan. The level of the loch was thereby 

 diminished and an attempt made to regulate the flow of the river. 

 Two sluices were constructed, each 6 ft. wide and 6 ft. 8 in. high. 

 The tunnels cut through the rock were 66 feet long. One sluice 

 was kept open all the year round ; the other, which was at a 



