16 



Appe'iidices to TtreMty-firsi Annual Report 



engineer, M'hicli showed accurately the design agreed upon. A pool, 40 

 feet by 28 feet, is formed by the erection of a subsidiary dyke in the form 

 of a curve below the down-stream face of the weir. It is so placed as to 

 occupy a position next to, and more central than, the portable section of 

 the weir. The entrance for fish is at the side of this portable section 

 where the subsidiary dyke terminates at this the deepest part of the river 

 bed, being the position which ascending fish will most readily reach. The 

 pool itself is at such a level as will allow of its being flooded at high- water 

 neap tides. A suitable gap is also provided in the sill of the main weir. 



LOSSIE. 



On 30th September, in company with Mr. Wink, the Clerk to the 

 Spey District Fishery Board, I inspected the various obstructions in the 

 river Lossie, in the neighbourhood of Elgin. On the day of my visit the 

 river was very low, and the pollutions just below Elgin were on this 

 account more than usually offensive ; indeed, between the intake and 

 outfall of the lowest mill lade, that of New Mill, a tweed factory belonging 

 to Messrs. Johnston & Co., the river bed presented the appearance of a 

 series of foul and stagnant pools, all the water-flow having been diverted 

 into the lade. It was therefore with considerable satisfaction that I 

 learned of the extensive system of sewage disposal which is now in course 

 of being introduced. 



New Mill Dam. — This, owing to the complete abstraction of water just 

 referred to, was at time of my visit a complete obstruction to the 

 passage of salmon. The weir is four feet high with a down-stream face of 

 20 feet, or a gradient of one in five. There is no statutory gap in the 

 sill of the weir, nor is there a fish-pass of any kind. The lade passes off 

 from the left bank. The intake has three sluices, but no heck. The tail 

 race has a good fiow into the river, and forms a good natural lead for 

 ascending fi.sh. It is also unprovided with a heck, and, in my opinion, 

 must often form a natural trap where fish could most easily be improperly 

 captured. It is most important that this large lade be properly protected 

 against the entrance of fish, and simultaneously that the weir be provided 

 with a pass. In my opinion the gap in the sill of the weir might with 

 advantage be towards the right bank, which at this point is formed by a 

 high wall — the back of Messrs. A. & J. Young's brewery. Advantage 

 might be taken of this wall to erect a subsidiary dyke, which would 

 form the base of an equilateral triangle with the weir and brewery 

 wall, so that a pool would result — so raising the water level half-way up 

 the down-stream face of the weir. A gap in the subsidiary dyke might 

 v\^ith greatest advantage be formed where the subsidiary djdve joins and 

 forms an angle with the weir near the centre of the latter structure. 



Dean's Haugli Dam is the next obstruction in the ascent of the river. 

 A saw mill was formerly worked by water diverted by means of this dam 

 dyke, but the mill is not now used, and the obstruction appears therefore 

 to be a needless one. The weir has been allowed to become leaky and 

 somewhat broken down ; it is about three feet in height, and with the 

 opening up of a suitable gap would not be an obstruction of very great 

 moment. The lade is unprovided with hecks. 



Bishop Mill Dam. — This is a very serious obstruction, being five feet 

 high, and with an irregular down-stream face of about 25 feet. There is 

 no gap or fish-pass, nor are there hecks on the lade which passes off from 

 the left bank. Water is diverted by this dam dyke for the supply of 

 another tweed factory, that of Messrs. Kesd & Welsh. It was reported 

 to me that in the autumn large numbers of fish congregate at the foot of 

 the weir and are freely poached. The right bank is muoh exposed, being 



