of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



89 



kirk mill-dam (Mr Wilson's) has no fish-pass on it. Murray- 

 thwaite mill-dam, about 7 miles above Annan, is not a great 

 obstruction when there is plenty of water in the river, but when 

 the stream is low no water whatever comes over the dike. At 

 Dormont, there is a natural reef of rocks which has been formed into 

 a dam of considerable height, which injuriously affects from 3 to 5 

 miles of water above it, and it is the general opinion that the 

 removal of this reef would produce a great improvement both on 

 the fishings and the agriculture of the district, the latter of which 

 suffers greatly from flooding caused by the rocky barrier damming 

 back the water. In 1853, a negotiation was entered into for the 

 removal of the reef, but the parties interested could not agree 

 upon terms, and the proceedings were fruitless. At present, nearly 

 3 miles of water above the rocks have scarcely any fall, and are quite 

 dead and still ; and 2 miles of the river beyond this, as far up as 

 Halleath's kennels, are partially affected by the obstruction caused 

 by them. There are, however, some fine gravel beds and one 

 or two streams about 3 miles above the rocks ; but there is no 

 gravel, only mud and sand, between these streams and the rocks. 

 Were this barrier, however, removed, and a greater current of 

 descending water thereby caused, the gravel above would probably 

 be carried down and distributed, and the spawning grounds would 

 thus be extended and improved. From an agricultural point of 

 view also, the removal of the reef seems desirable, as it was stated 

 to me that this would, to a considerable extent, prevent the flood- 

 ing of between 3000 and 4000 acres of land, at present subject to 

 damage from this cause, owing to the reef ponding back the water 

 when the river is swollen by rain. 



Although there is no serious obstruction to the passage of 

 ascending fish on the Annan itself, when the water is high, there is 

 a very bad weir on the Water of Milk, one of its principal tribu- 

 taries, which entirely blocks up 10 or 12 miles of good spawning 

 ground. This dam is formed of wooden planks laid close together 

 with a beam running along the crest. Altogether, it is the worst 

 dam in the Annan district. It was thus described by Inspector 

 Macknight, in 1869, since which time there has been no improve- 

 ment : — ' The cauld is built perpendicular to about 5 feet high, then 

 ' a slope or face is pat upon that of w 7 ood about 6 feet broad, with 

 ' a gradient of 2 to 6, and the end of said slope projects over the 

 ' cauld or perpendicular part about 12 inches, and the water in 

 ' the ordinary size of the river, when flowing over the cauld, 

 ' sinks amongst the wood, so that it is mostly dry, and, conse- 

 ' quently, it is utterly impossible for fish to ascend the cauld, except 

 ' when the river is in very high flood. A strong fish may get over 

 ' at the end. But there is no pass or ladder, and the cauld is so 

 ' constructed as to be a complete barrier and obstruction to the run 

 1 of salmon either on the ascent or descent. There is an intake 

 1 sluice into the mill-lade, but no heck or grating.' 



If a V-shaped cut was made in the crest of this dam about 30 

 feet from the left bank of the stream, it would probably enable 

 running fish to ascend to the upper waters. There is another weir 

 on the Water of Milk below this one. It is formed of rough stones, 



