Dee Catchment Management Plan SUMMARY

Dee Catchment Management Plan SUMMARY

www.theriverdee.org d e e c at c h m e nt partnership Further copies of this document are available from:

The Project Officer Dee Catchment Partnership c/o The Macaulay Institute Craigiebuckler Aberdeen AB15 8QH

Tel: 01224 498200 Fax: 01224 311556 Email: [email protected] Web: www.theriverdee.org

Text by Susan Cooksley, members of the Dee Catchment Partnership and Marc Stutter (Catchment Overview), with extracts from the SEPA Issues Consultation Document (SEPA, 1999).

Compiled, edited and designed by Susan Cooksley. Published November 2007.

This document should be cited as Cooksley SL (2007). Dee Catchment Management Plan Summary. Dee Catchment Partnership, Aberdeen.

Printed by RR Donnelley Global Document Solutions, Edinburgh on Revive, 75% recycled post- consumer waste paper, Elemental Chlorine Free. IM. Welcome to the Dee Catchment Management Plan SUMMARY

This document is both a summary of, and the introduction to, the Dee Catchment Management Plan Action Pack. In this Summary you will find:

. The background to the development of the Dee Catchment Management Plan (CMP).

. An overview of the catchment.

. The main issues affecting the catchment’s waters.

. The roles of the organisations involved in these issues.

. 37 management Objectives, each relating to a particular aspect of the waters of the Dee catchment.

Each of these 37 Objectives is the subject of a separate, self-contained ‘Action Card’.

The Action Cards, which are the central component of the Dee CMP, are available in the separate Dee CMP ‘Action Pack’, copies of which have been provided to key partner organisations.

The Action Pack is also available from public libraries in the catchment as well as from the project website www.theriverdee.org.

1 contents

Foreword...... 5

1. Introduction...... 8 1.1 Why does the Dee catchment need a management plan?...... 8 1.2 Legislative framework...... 8 1.2.1 Natural heritage designations...... 8 1.2.2 The Water Framework Directive...... 9 1.2.3 Floods Directive...... 9 1.3 How the Dee CMP is being developed...... 11 1.4 Who will use the Dee CMP?...... 11 1.5 Integration with other plans...... 11 1.6 Implementation, monitoring and review of the Dee CMP...... 12

2. Catchment Overview...... 16 2.1 Landscape...... 16 2.1.1 Waters...... 16 2.1.2 Geology, soils and drainage water...... 16 2.1.3 Climate...... 18 2.2 People...... 20 2.2.1 Population...... 20 2.2.2 Land use/cover...... 20 2.2.3 Recreation and tourism...... 21 2.2.4 History...... 21 2.3 Habitats and species...... 22 2.4 Protected areas...... 22 2.4.1 Drinking waters...... 22 2.4.2 Economically significant species...... 22 2.4.3 Recreational waters...... 22 2.4.4 Areas designated for the protection of habitats or species...... 22 2.4.5 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones...... 23 2.4.6 Cairngorms National Park...... 23

2 3. Issues...... 30 3.1 Water quality...... 30 3.1.1 Water quality in the Dee catchment...... 30 3.1.2 Opportunities for improvements...... 30 3.2 Water resources...... 32 3.2.1 Abstraction...... 32 3.2.2 Floods and droughts...... 32 3.3 Development and engineering...... 33 3.4 Habitats...... 34 3.5 Species...... 35 3.5.1 Threatened/protected species...... 35 3.5.2 Non native invasive species...... 35 3.5.3 Extinct native species...... 36 3.6 Access and Recreation...... 37 3.7 Sub-catchments...... 37 3.8 Action Cards...... 39

4. Who is involved?...... 44 4.1 Agencies...... 45 4.2 Land businesses...... 46 4.3 Fisheries, angling and fish ponds...... 47 4.4 The built environment...... 48 4.5 Business and industry ...... 49 4.6 Householders and local communities...... 50 4.7 Tourism and recreation...... 51 4.8 Aberdeen harbour...... 52 4.9 Which sectors are involved in each Objective/Action Card?...... 53

5. APPendices...... 56 Appendix A. Members of the Dee Catchment Partnership...... 56 Appendix B. Sources of information...... 57 Appendix C. Acronyms and abbreviations...... 58 Appendix D. Glossary...... 60 Appendix E. ‘At risk’ water bodies in the Dee catchment...... 62 Appendix F. Maps...... 66

3 tables

Table 1. ‘At risk’ water bodies in the Dee catchment ...... 9 Table 2. Stages in the development of the Dee CMP...... 11 Table 3. Specially protected species in the Dee catchment...... 24 Table 4. Specially protected places in the Dee catchment...... 26 Table 5. Objectives of the Dee Catchment Management Plan...... 40 Table 6. Agencies: roles and responsibilities...... 45 Table 7. Land Business sector: roles and responsibilities...... 46 Table 8. Fisheries, Angling and Fish Ponds: roles and responsibilities...... 47 Table 9. The built environment: roles and responsibilities...... 48 Table 10. Business and industry: roles and responsibilities...... 49 Table 11. Householders and communities: roles and responsibilities...... 50 Table 12. Tourism and recreation: roles and responsibilities...... 51 Table 13. Aberdeen harbour: roles and responsibilities...... 52 Table 14. Sectoral involvement in each Action Card...... 53

boxes

Box 1. How is the Water Framework directive being delivered in Scotland?...... 10

Maps

Map 1. Area covered by the North East Area Advisory Group...... 9 Map 2. River Basin Districts in Scotland: Scotland, Solway-Tweed and Northumbria...... 10 Map 3. Location of the River Dee Catchment...... 17 Map 4. Dee catchment topography...... 17 Map 5. Water bodies in the Dee catchment...... 17 Map 6. Landuse in the Dee catchment...... 19 Map 7. Riparian landuse in the Dee catchment...... 19 Map 8. Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray NVZ...... 19

4 Foreword

A Vision for the river dee catchment To return the River Dee catchment to good order throughout, with sufficient high quality water, habitat and amenity to allow all its inhabitants, flora and fauna to flourish.

The qualities of the River Dee was a crucial stage in the draft’s Catchment’s rivers, burns and development to ensure its lochs give them great value. direction and aims are sound. The These waters contribute directly wide ranging responses received to the character and industry were very welcome. They were of Aberdeen City and Shire: an essential element in adjusting they supply our industrial and and validating the draft to allow domestic water, are the basis for the final preparation of a plan in tourism and salmon rod fishing, which all can have confidence and provide habitats for wildlife, form enthusiasm. a challenging environment for outdoor pursuits and are a central The Dee Catchment Partnership asset underpinning much of the has great pleasure in launching rural economy. It is essential, therefore, that we the River Dee Catchment Management Plan. manage them all in a manner that conserves The plan is intended to serve as a dynamic those qualities. We must work together to protect means of allowing all participants in the future them. of the catchment - individuals and communities as well as public, private and voluntary sector With this aim, over recent years some visionary organisations - to develop and coordinate their individuals and organisations have set forward future activities in order to achieve and maintain looking agendas and taken a number of the wellbeing of the Dee Catchment’s waters initiatives to improve the waters of the River Dee Catchment. In order to provide a strategic May I take this opportunity to thank all those framework for these improvements a working who have contributed so generously towards partnership representing a broad range of achieving this stage of the work and who interested organisations formed in 2003 are committed to seeing the Plan through to to oversee the development of a River Dee implementation and beyond. Catchment Management Plan.

The plan has been prepared through extensive cooperation and collaboration. It takes into account and builds on the experience derived from other similar initiatives, without prejudice to any partisan interest or budgetary bias; however, thought has been given to balancing the needs Major General John Barr CB CBE of all parties. Chairman, Dee Catchment Partnership The plan, in draft, was put out for a catchment- wide consultation in the autumn of 2006. This 21 November 2007

5 1. Introduction

6 1. Introduction

7 1. Introduction 1.2 Legislative framework

The River Dee catchment is the area of land that is This is a time of considerable change in terms of drained by the River Dee and its tributary burns. All policies that regulate how we use the waters of the of the running waters in this area are connected. This Dee catchment. The catchment’s recent designation means that a poor quality burn or inappropriate land as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) means that management in one part of the catchment can reduce its water resources must now be managed in order the environmental condition of the whole area. to protect its qualifying species and the habitats that support them. At the same time the Water The Dee Catchment Management Plan (CMP): Framework Directive (WFD, Box 1) is establishing new ways of protecting, managing and using the . Describes the current condition of the Dee catchment’s rivers, lochs, estuary, coast, wetlands catchment in terms of water quality, the type and and groundwaters in order that ‘good ecological extent of habitats and species in the catchment status’ is achieved and maintained. Meanwhile the and important land management activities. European Commission’s (EC) new Floods Directive is . Discusses the main impacts on the catchment’s under development and this will bring a new kind of water environment. integrated approach to flood management. . Suggests the measures necessary to protect and Although the Dee CMP incorporates statutory improve the quality of the catchment’s waters and obligations such as those driven by the WFD or their associated habitats and species. legislation relating to Protected Areas, the majority of the actions presented extend beyond the relevant 1.1 Why does the Dee catchment statutory duties of the organisations involved. need a management plan? 1.2.1 Natural heritage designations The high quality of the River Dee catchment’s water resources gives them great value - as a habitat In 2005, the River Dee and its tributaries were for wildlife, for drinking water, as a recreational designated as an SAC under the EC Habitats environment, as a basis for tourism and salmon fishing, Directive, forming part of a network of specially and as a central asset underpinning much of the protected sites which represent some of the rural economy. In order to balance these increasing finest nature conservation areas in the European and often competing demands there is a need to Community (the Natura 2000 network). The waters understand and manage the impacts associated of the Dee catchment qualify as an SAC due to with different uses of the catchment. The River Dee their internationally important populations of Catchment Management Plan is being developed to Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, freshwater pearl mussel ensure that the catchment’s waters are used in a wise Margaritifera margaritifera and European otter Lutra and sustainable way. lutra.

How we use and manage the catchment affects the Other important natural heritage designations in the quality of its surface and groundwaters. catchment include seven Special Protected Areas The Dee CMP is therefore concerned with land (SPAs), 28 SSSIs, three Ramsar sites and five National management practices that can affect the Nature Reserves (Table 2) while the upper half of the chemical, physical and biological quality of the catchment forms part of the Cairngorms National Park, water environment in the River Dee catchment. a landscape afforded the highest degree of protection This environment encompasses the natural water resources, such as rivers, burns and lochs, as well as riverine habitats such as wetlands and riparian areas, and also the species they support.

The purpose of developing this document is to agree a strategic framework for how the catchment will be managed in the future. This will help to ensure that everyone - from individual householders and farmers to government agencies - is working to a common plan. Achieving this has involved catchment-wide input from all of the individuals, organisations and agencies involved with the catchment’s waters. It is hoped that the fact that so many of those who can help to deliver the Dee CMP have been involved in its The Dee is designated as a Special Area of Conservation due development will be the key to its success. to the importance of its freshwater pearl mussel, otter and Atlantic salmon populations.

8 Introduction due to its natural beauty, wildlife and human heritage. risk’ of failing to meet ‘good ecological status’ by 2015. All of these designations carry with them legislative In addition to this quality target, the WFD requires responsibilities for the protection and enhancement of us to prevent deterioration and also to comply with habitats and species. Protected Area objectives (Section 2.4).

The Dee CMP’s 37 Objectives (Table 5) address issues Objectives that will contribute to these obligations that are relevant to the protection of many of these are central to the Dee CMP, both through generalised habitats and species. In addition there are seven actions, such as those aimed at reducing diffuse Objectives that directly address habitat- and species- pollution, as well as through area-specific objectives, specific issues. which target a subset of the ‘at risk’ waterbodies.

1.2.2 The Water Framework Directive

Since 2003 the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been undertaking ongoing assessments of all surface water bodies within the Dee catchment above the WFD threshold size for rivers and lochs (10km2 catchment area for rivers and a 0.5km2 surface area for lochs), chiefly to determine which ones are at risk of not meeting the WFD objective of ‘good ecological status’. The information produced by these risk assessments is summarised in an extensive database held by SEPA, together with details of the most significant pressures affecting those water bodies thought to be at risk, and the likely measures required to bring about the necessary improvements. This information is being confirmed and updated as more data become available but current indications are that 28 water bodies in the Dee catchment are at risk of not attaining good ecological status by the deadline of 2015, with diffuse pollution being the most common type of pressure (Table 1 & Appendix E). Of these ‘at risk’ water bodies, 10 are considered to be ‘at significant risk’ and 18 ‘probably at significant

At significant risk (1a) Probably at significant risk (1b)

River Dee - Peterculter to tidal Map 1. The Dee catchment is covered by the North East Area limit Advisory Group, on which the River Dee CMP is represented. River Dee - Ballater to Banchory Other catchments in the North East Area over 100km2 are those of the rivers Spey, Deveron, Ugie, Ythan and Don Crynoch Burn Dee Estuary (Aberdeen Harbour) (Appendix F shows a larger copy of this map). Culter Burn Den Burn Gormack Burn River Dee - Banchory to 1.2.3 Floods Directive Peterculter Sheeoch Burn Leuchar Burn Bo Burn Following devastating floods in several parts of Europe in recent years, EU environment ministers agreed Brodiach Burn / Ord Burn Burn of Corrichie in October 2004 that there was a need for greater Loch of Skene Water of Dye - lower catchment European co-ordination on flood risk management. Water of Dye - upper catchment Dess Burn / Lumphanan Burn The EC produced a Floods Action Programme which included the proposal for an EU Directive on the Beltie Burn Dess Burn - upper stretch Assessment and Management of Floods and published Burn of Cattie Water of Tanar a draft Directive on the assessment and management Tarland Burn Davan Burn of floods on 20 January 2006. Once the final text of the Logie Burn/Loch Davan River Muick - Allt an Dubh Loch Directive has been formally agreed and published the UK will have two years to transpose it into full legal Loch Muick effect. Gelder Burn Ey Burn In implementing the new EU Floods Directive, the Table 1. Water bodies in the Dee catchment ‘at risk‘ of failing European Commission and EU member states must to meet ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 (see Appendix E). ensure stronger coordination with other EU legislation,

Introduction 9 Box 1. How the Water Framework Directive is being delivered in Scotland The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a new and important piece of European environmental legislation which has the overall objective of bringing about the effective co-ordination of water environment policy across Europe. The WFD came into force in 2000 and became law in Scotland in 2003 through the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003, which gave Scottish Ministers powers to introduce regulatory controls over activities in order to protect and improve Scotland’s water environment. In Scotland SEPA is responsible for delivering these objectives.

River Basin Management Plan The Water Framework Directive introduces a new system of management planning which is based on areas called river basin districts (Figure 2). Under the WFD, each river basin district must have a River Basin Management Plan (RBMP), which will: . Record the current status of its water bodies. . Set out in broad terms Programmes of Measures by which the objective of ‘good ecological status ‘ will be achieved. . Be the main reporting mechanism to the European Commission.

Characterisation In 2005 SEPA undertook an environmental and economic assessment Map 2. There are three river basin districts in of the pressures and impacts on the water environment in the Scotland: Scotland (which covers most of the Scotland river basin district. To do this the water environment country), Solway-Tweed and Northumbria was divided into water body units; in total 2005 river, 309 loch, 40 (Appendix F shows a larger copy of this map). transitional, 449 coastal and 106 groundwater water bodies were identified1. This ‘characterisation process’ indicated that 43% of water bodies in the Scotland river basin district are ‘at risk’ of failing to meet the WFD’s environmental objectives, of good ecological status, preventing deterioration and complying with protectd area objectives, by 2015 (SEPA, 2005). Risk assessments are made in terms of 4 categories: at significant risk (1a), probably at significant risk (1b) not at significant risk (2a and 2b). These assessments are based on the chemical, ecological, hydrological and morphological standards needed to support – and recognised as reflecting – good ecological quality in different types of water bodies, as agreed by the WFD UK Technical Advisory Group (experts representing the UK environment and conservation agencies). A similar procedure is ongoing for groundwater bodies based on chemical and quantitative standards.

Area Advisory Groups Eight Area Advisory Groups (AAGs) have been set up to address the specific priorities identified by the WFD Characterisation at a regional level. SEPA has proposed that existing CMPs2 should be considered by the AAGs and used, as appropriate, to support and implement RBMP requirements, for example to deliver part of the Programme of Measures or to support public participation activities.

Stakeholder engagement and public participation Stakeholder engagement and public participation are integral and critical parts of river basin management planning for a number of reasons: . RBMPs/CMPs are more likely to be successful if stakeholders buy-in to their objectives and delivery (by promoting ownership, acceptability and cooperation). . Decision making is likely to be more efficient due to increased opportunities for earlier identification and, where possible, resolution of conflicts. . Solutions are more likely to be sustainable and equitable as the result of the input of a wider range of knowledge and perspectives. . Relationships between competent authorities and stakeholders are likely to be strengthened. The Area Advisory Groups are therefore required by the WFD to deliver an inclusive river basin planning process based on active involvement with interested parties, and the provision of information to, and consultation with, the wider public.

1 The WFD threshold sizes for rivers and lochs are 10km2 catchment area for rivers and a 0.5km2 surface area for lochs. 2 Other Scottish catchments with integrated management plans include the rivers Almond, Spey, Tweed, Dee-Ken, Nith, Annan, Loch Lomond and Loch Leven.

10 Introduction especially the WFD, which promotes an integrated 1.4 Who will use the Dee CMP? approach to river basin management. Implementation of the Floods Directive must also make economics The Dee CMP is intended to be a working document work for the environment, for example, by ensuring to be used by anyone who is involved with, or has an that economic activities in flood risk areas bear the interest in, the catchment’s water environment - either costs of flood defence measures. In implementing the directly or indirectly. Floods Directive, the EC and EC member states should also promote other flood mitigating measures, such as Many of the responsibilities suggested are for the maintenance and restoration of floodplain areas. the statutory organisations such as the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID), SEPA, Aberdeen City and 1.3 How the Dee CMP is being developed Aberdeenshire Councils (ACC and AC) and Scottish The Dee CMP has been, and will continue to be, Natural Heritage (SNH), who play key roles as developed by a partnership of organisations and regulators, consultees, providers of funding, advisors agencies, as well as individuals who have volunteered and monitors of water quality. There are a significant to contribute their time and expertise to the process number of actions for land owners and managers, (Appendix A). involving improvements to water quality, helping to reduce the severity of flooding, and encouraging The Dee CMP has evolved in several stages (Table important and endangered species and habitats. There 2). The first stage was a public consultation on are also actions in the plan for individual householders an Issues Document (a collation of the key water and small businesses, who can have significant resource management issues in the catchment) collective impacts on water quality, for example published by SEPA in 1999. The second stage was through appropriate maintenance of private septic the formation of the Steering Group in 2003 to tanks. Chapter 4 of this documant discusses the roles develop the Dee CMP in light of the Water Framework and responsibilities of the different groups involved in Directive and the designation of the River Dee as a the development and implementation of the Dee CMP. Special Area of Conservation. Wider Working Groups, formed of a broad range of interested parties, The Dee CMP also provides information about the made recommendations for action based on the catchment’s landscape and wildlife, the uses we make Issues document and responses received; these of the land and the environmental impacts these can recommendations were collated into the draft Dee have. It provides information about the key issues that CMP. The next stage was a full public consultation affect the catchment’s waters, summarises relevant on this draft in Autumn 2006. The final stage was legislation and regulations, lists important national to review the document in light of the feedback and international designations and suggests sources to the consultation and prepare the first River Dee of guidance and information. As such it is intended Catchment Management Plan for publication. to be a useful resource for anyone who would like to learn more about the catchment. The Working Groups identified thirty seven management objectives for the Dee catchment (Table 1.5 Integration with other plans 5) and suites of strategic actions by which these objectives might be achieved. An ‘Action Card’ has There are a number of existing or developing plans been developed for each of these objectives. Each and delivery mechanisms that are of direct relevance Action Card presents the key issues and a table of to the catchment’s water resources and riverine Actions; each Action has one or more lead partners as habitats. These include: SEPA’s Scotland River Basin well as others involved in, or affected by, its delivery. Management Plan (RBMP), the UK Biodiversity Action The 37 Action Cards are presented in the Dee CMP Plan, both the North East and the Cairngorms Local Action Pack (separate document). Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs), Local Development Plans (AC, ACC and CNPA), outdoor access strategies, SW’s operational plan (the Q&S programme) and the 2012 Review Scottish Forestry Strategy. Relevant actions from these 2007-2012 Implementation phase 1 plans have been incorporated into the Dee CMP and Nov 2007 Publication of Dee CMP it is intended that the Objectives of the Dee CMP will be integrated into other plans and policies as they 2007 Revision of CMP develop. The more that other plans and strategies Oct-Dec 2006 Public consultation on draft CMP make reference to the Dee CMP the more effective it will be. 2005-2006 Working Groups develop draft CMP

2003 Steering Group formed

1999 Consultation on SEPA Issues document

Table 2. Stages in the development of the Dee CMP.

Introduction 11 1.6 Implementation, monitoring and review of the Dee CMP

The Dee CMP will implemented and monitored through yearly operational plans. The agreed Actions will incorporated into the work programmes of the fifteen organisations that make up the Partnership (Appendix A) to provide a focus for their future priorities; the other organisations involved will be encouraged to sign up to contribute to relevant actions.

Some actions in the Dee CMP are already ongoing or are soon to be implemented. These actions are included because they form part of the framework of the overall plan, and set the context for other actions. There may be opportunities for other organisations to contribute to these ongoing actions or for their extension to other parts of the catchment.

The natural and human forces at play mean that the Dee catchment is a dynamic and ever-changing environment - the Objectives and Actions will become out of date as new legislation is enacted, and indeed as the Dee CMP’s Actions are achieved; therefore, to remain valid the Dee CMP must evolve accordingly. The Dee CMP will remain a live document, with updated and additional Action Cards being produced as appropriate. These Cards will be made available on the project website.

There will be a periodic major review of the Dee CMP. This will allow progress to be evaluated and reported formally, and for new issues to be accommodated and addressed. The first such review will take place in 2012.

12 Introduction Introduction 13 14 2. Catchment overview

15 2. Catchment Overview deeply glaciated mountain troughs and dammed by moraines. In contrast the eutrophic Loch of Skene is a 2.1 Landscape kettle hole lowland loch, the area of which has been artificially increased by the installation of a dam at the 2.1.1 Waters outflow. The River Dee catchment is located in north east The River Dee is considered to be the best example of Scotland (Map 3). The river rises in the Cairngorm a large natural highland river in Scotland (Maitland, mountains to the west of Braemar, at an altitude of 1985). Its size and chemical nature set it apart 1220m on the extensive semi-arctic Braeriach-Cairn from many other rivers; it is regarded as relatively Toul plateau in the Cairngorms National Park; these unmodified and this is rare and itself worthy of headwaters are among the highest of any major river conservation (Davidson et al., 1985). system in the British Isles. The river originates from a The notable characteristics of the river include its great series of springs (the Wells of Dee) at the foot of a bank altitudinal range, and its unique succession of plant of grass and moss, then cascades off the plateau in communities. Steep in profile compared with most the Falls of Dee. Its earlier sources, further west, in the other large British rivers, much of the river runs over Glens of Tilt and Feshie were dammed by moraines gravel or cobbles, and there is virtually no lowland and diverted respectively to the Rivers Tay and Spey. ‘depositing’ section. These features make the River Dee, its tributaries and lochs of considerable interests For the majority of its course the River Dee flows to scientists. eastwards through a valley which broadens and becomes much gentler in relief nearer the coast (Map 4). The foothills of the Cairngorms extend to the sea, 2.1.2 Geology, soils and drainage water particularly to the south of the valley. The river enters The basement rocks of the catchment area consist of the sea at the busy harbour of Aberdeen. The average ancient Pre-Cambrian metamorphosed sediments of flow of the River Dee is 45m3s-1 with minimum flows the Moine series (dominated by quartz-mica schists) usually occurring during the summer months and the and, to the west, the Dalradian series bringing mixed highest flows in March. acid-basic soils with some limestone. Two groups of igneous rocks were then intruded during the The main tributaries of the river are the Lui, Clunie, Caledonian orogeny. The granite group forms the Gairn, Muick, Tanar, and Feugh. With the exception of spine of mountains which flank the valley from the the Water of Feugh these watercourses enter the river central Cairngorms, to the plateau of Beinn a’Bhuird- relatively high up the catchment (Map 5). Ben Avon and the White Mounth to Mount Keen and the Hill of Fare. Granite mountains have the There are few standing waters in the catchment, characteristic cone-top shapes of Mount Keen and but several are large. Examples are Loch Muick Meikle Pap, or huge summit boulders (tors), such as and Loch Callater (which means the loch of hard on Clachnaben. Another igneous group of base rich water, in reference to the limestone rock) both in rocks includes gabbro and hornblende schists around

The Dee reaches the sea at the Aberdeen harbour.

16 Catchment overview Map 3. Location of the Dee catchment. The River Dee rises in the Cairngorm Mountains, to the west of Braemar, and drains eastwards before entering the sea at Aberdeen. The main stem of the river is 126km long and with its 17 major tributaries drains a catchment area of 2100km2

Map 4. Dee catchment topography. The catchment consists of two geographically distinct regions: the Western half of the catchment is predominantly upland while the Eastern half is lowland. 60% of the catchment is over 300m in altitude.

Map 5. Waterbodies in the Dee catchment. The Dee has 17 major tributary burns, the largest being the Lui, Clunie, Gairn, Muick, Tanar and Feugh. The most significant standing waters are the adjacent Lochs Davan and Kinord, the Loch of Skene, and Loch Muick.

Appendix F shows larger copies of these maps. Catchment overview 17 Morven and serpentine around Muick. characteristics; improved grazing on limestone areas in the western uplands, intensified agriculture halfway The catchment’s soils have developed over the last along the River Dee on the basic igneous rocks around 10000 years from the extensive moraines which fill Tarland and the cereal production on the flat alluvial the length of the valley and reflect the intense and plains bordering the lowland river. A long history of complex glaciation of NE Scotland. These deposits agricultural improvement has led to the clearing of include tills, erratics, fine lacustrine (lake) deposits and erratics (glacially-transported boulders) giving the the coarse fluvio-glacial sands and gravels which are characteristic piles of granite rocks in the corner of quarried extensively around Drumoak. Different tills every field, drystone walls and the Kingswells west impart the certain qualities of texture and chemistry consumption dyke, a 457m long structure (8.2m by to the soils depending on the parent rocks, but the 1.2m) built to ‘consume’ rocks. tills may have travelled up to a mile from the rocks of origin (Maizels, 1985; Smith, 1985). 2.1.3 Climate

In the mountains, thin soils and outcropping rock The Cairngorm mountains form the largest area of allow fast runoff during storms. On the granitic continuous high ground in Britain. They act as a major moorlands extensive areas of peats (>5m in Glen Dye originator of weather events and their effects are and other places) and humic iron podzols leach carbon transmitted downstream to the middle and lower into the stream, accounting for the dark colouration catchment in the form of flood peaks. during storms. The north east of Scotland is unusual in that it doesn’t In the middle catchment thick glacial deposits, along get most of its rainfall from the warm, humid south- with deeply fissured granite (from past exposure westerly winds which sweep in from the Atlantic. to a tropical climate in the Tertiary period) give Instead, cold rains come across the North Sea and subterranean water storage that maintains summer showers and snow from the north and north-east. flows. Generally, these slowly weathering soils have Winds across the North Sea bring the haar, a cold limited buffering capacity against atmospheric summer mist up to 20 miles west of the coast. Further pollution and give rise to a natural soil acidity. Hence, inland, the Cairngorm uplands have a beneficial ‘foehn’ the ecosystem of the Dee is adapted to the natural, effect, providing a rain-shadow against westerly low levels of nutrients and is therefore susceptible winds. As a result of these factors the annual average to nutrient and other pollutant inputs from human precipitation ranges from 2100mm in the Cairngorms activity. to 810mm at Aberdeen (Warren 1985; Webb and McLay, 1996; Aitkenhead et al., 1999). In the Cairngorms, during Agriculture is focussed on soils with favourable the winter months, much of this precipitation falls as

Loch Callater is one of the catchment’s few standing waters.

18 Catchment overview Map 6. Land cover in the Dee catchment. The Dee catchment has two geographically distinct regions: the area to the west which is essentially upland in character and a lower lying area to the east. The upland western and southern half of the catchment is dominated by semi-natural land cover types. In the eastern lowland part of the catchment, land cover is a mosaic of lowland more intensively managed areas, dominated by arable farmland and improved pasture.

Map 7. Riparian land cover in the Dee catchment within 100m of watercourses.

Map 8. Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. This area has been identified to be at risk of elevated nitrate levels in groundwaters and includes the Dee catchment from Aberdeen City limits as far as Banchory.

Appendix F shows larger copies of these maps. Catchment overview 19 In the low-lying areas between Aberdeen and Banchory, cereals, sheep and beef are typically produced on mixed farms. snow, and above 800m can account for approximately (Webb and Bacon, 1999; Wade et al., 1999). Between 30% of annual precipitation (Warren, 1985; Langan et Aberdeen and Aboyne the river flows through mainly al., 1997; Warren, 1985; Aitkenhead et al., 1999). Snow is agricultural land and population is concentrated an important hydrological component in the upland in larger residential centres, such as Aboyne and region of the catchment. Banchory. The western, upper part of the catchment is sparsely populated and the land is mainly divided into The region has a cool temperate climate with an large estates whose economies rely on a mixture of annual mean temperature of 8°C. The length and sporting, forestry and hill-farming enterprises. east-west orientation of the catchment results in its upper parts, especially the valley floors, having a The River Dee and its tributaries are a valuable water relatively continental climate, with wide annual ranges resource for the populations of Deeside, providing of temperature. The growing season is conventionally domestic water supply for the whole of Aberdeen defined as the number of days of mean temperature City and over half of Aberdeenshire. The catchment’s >5.6°C. In the agricultural areas this ranges from waters are used for light industry and agriculture, and 241 days at Aberdeen (24m a.s.l.) to 207 days at also receive discharges of effluent. Logie Coldstone (184m a.s.l.) (Glentworth and Muir, 1963). Gales occur on average 5 days a year over the The catchment is faced with growing pressures as inland area, but increase with frequency on exposed local populations expand. The demand for housing mountains and the coast. Some of the most extreme has led to large increases in the size of towns such climate in the UK is associated with this catchment: as Banchory and Ballater, bring greater demands for the lowest UK air temperature at Braemar (-27.2°C, water supply and waste water disposal. January 1982/February 1895), a gust of 101 mph at Dyce, Aberdeen (January 1953) and a morning to 2.2.2 Land use/cover afternoon range of temperature at Aboyne of -1 to 22°C (September 2004). The Dee catchment has two geographically distinct regions: the area to the west which is essentially 2.2 People upland in character and a lower lying area to the east (Map 4). The catchment is relatively unusual in the UK in that it has predominantly upland, semi-natural land 2.2.1 Population use but with isolated areas of significant pressures on The majority of the catchment’s human population water and habitat quality related to agriculture and lives within the City of Aberdeen, which has a urbanisation. population of approximately 220,000. Outwith the city, settlements in the catchment are small, and are Western and southern areas concentrated around the river and in the lowlands The upland western and southern half of the

20 Catchment overview catchment is dominated by semi-natural land cover attributes (Hay, 1995). In 1995 it was estimated that types. Montane and alpine heath vegetation are found salmon fishing on the River Dee contributed between on the highest summits while the upper and middle £5 and £6 million a year to the local economy. Recent slopes are predominantly moorland consisting of a figures show 64% of tourists visiting the Grampian mosaic of blanket bog and heather. Many of the lower area come from Scotland, and 33% from England. Of slopes have been planted with managed forests, both the 3% of overseas visitors the majority come from the coniferous and deciduous. USA (15%) and Germany (14%).

A high proportion of the few remaining areas of semi- 2.2.4 History natural ‘Caledonian’ pine woods in Scotland are found in this part of the catchment. The forest of Ballochbuie Floods (near Invercauld) is a large area of prime original Heavy rains and melting snows can turn the river’s forest which has never been felled, unlike the famous serene flow into a raging torrent. Major floods Rothiemurchus and Glen More forests in Speyside. occurred in 1769, 1920 and 1956 (the Cairngorm Some of these pine woods are being managed Flood). Reportedly, the flood of 1920 drove the river to promote their regeneration and expansion, for into its old course at Inch of Culter, swept away crops example at Glen Tanar (Aboyne) and Mar Lodge and inundated the Maryculter bridge. Most notable of (Braemar) estates. all, though, was the Muckle Spate of August 1829.

The soils, climate and topography are generally not River crossings suitable for intensive agriculture in these upland areas and upstream of Ballater the land is generally There are presently 24 bridges over the River Dee, suitable only for improved grassland, rough grazing whereas prior to 1800 there were only four: the Bridge and forestry; extensive sheep farming and plantation of Dee (1520-27), Old Bridge of Invercauld (1752), forestry therefore predominate. Bridge of Ballater (1783), and Bridge of Banchory (1799). As a result some 27 ferry and 36 ford crossings have been recorded along the length of the River Eastern areas (Fraser, 1921). Many of these crossings were linked to In the eastern lowland part of the catchment, the important Mounth roads which crossed the area. land cover is a mosaic of lowland more intensively One of the ferry points was at the ‘Coble-heugh Inn’, managed areas, dominated by arable farmland and where the Banchory Lodge Hotel now stands. improved pasture. The best agricultural land in the River Dee catchment is in the low-lying areas between Aberdeen and Banchory, where cereals, sheep and beef are typically produced on mixed farms.

Farming plays a central role in the economic and social and economic fabric of the Dee catchment. There is a long history of agricultural activity in this area. Excavations of rare examples (three in Scotland) of wooden longhouses on opposite banks of the River Dee, by Banchory at Crathes (9m by 22m) and Balbridie (12m by 24m) show Neolithic (4000BC) communal agriculture at least as advanced as in mainland Europe at that time.

2.2.3 Recreation and tourism

The natural beauty and characteristics of the catchment are great assets both to the local economy and to public recreational interests. Water based recreational activities in the catchment include: canoeing, kayaking, rowing, water skiing, swimming, sailing and windsurfing.

The catchment supports one of Scotland’s most important salmon fisheries with its valuable run of large, multi-sea winter and spring running fish. The Dee’s ability to offer first class angling early in the season, long before runs have started on most rivers elsewhere in Scotland, is one of its most important Canoeists below Potarch bridge.

Catchment overview 21 Mounth Roads The historical Mounth roads represent some 15 or so major passes which linked traders and drovers in Deeside with the coastal lowlands to the south. Various passes (from East to West) such as Slug road, Cairn a’Mounth, Firmounth, Capel Mounth, Tolmounth and Cairnwell shaped the civilisations in the area and the first two and last remain today important roads. In 1296 Edward I of England with forces marched over the Cryne’s Cross Mounth, then crossed the Dee at Durris on way to Aberdeen (Fraser, 1921).

Timber Transport Historically a number of timber/sawmills were located along the length of the Dee and used the river during high water to transport the logs from the river’s upper reaches down to the harbour at Aberdeen, until the railway opened in 1853. Floaters was the name given to those men who plied a hazardous trade steering rafts of timber down the Dee from its upper reaches Atlantic salmon when the water was high. A floater could earn 21 mainly natural communities that are typically low shillings a raft for transporting timber down the in diversity, especially compared to lowland areas Dee from the upper reaches down to Aberdeen. The (Maitland, 1985). Silverbank Sawmill (Banchory) was opened in 1854 and timber would be delivered here and loaded onto As well as the three SAC qualifying species (Atlantic the newly arrived railway after treatment at the mill. salmon, freshwater pearl mussel and European otter) As the railway progressed up the valley, it eventually the catchment’s waters support a wide range of replaced the need for river transportation of timber. specially protected habitats and species (Tables 3 and The railway ceased with so many others in 1966 but 4). the key stations in Aboyne and Ballater have survived and are now used as shops and cafés. 2.4 Protected areas Waters Many areas of the River Dee catchment are protected In the late 18th Century the town of Ballater was by national or international legislation due to the founded due to the reputed healing properties of the importance of certain species and habitats (Table 4). nearby wells at Pannanich. These were developed as a The WFD requires that Protected Area (established Spa and then the town was developed to cater for the under European directives) objectives must be met. large number of visitors. The Deeside Water Company abstracts spring water from Pannanich Wells near 2.4.1 Drinking waters Ballater. Whisky has been produced on Deeside since 1826. The present Lochnagar Distillery at Balmoral Waters used for the abstraction of drinking water were abstracts water from the foothills of Lochnagar to designated as Protected Areas in March 2005 under produce the Royal Lochnagar malt. the WFD itself. These are areas identified as supplying either a daily average of more than 10m3 of water for Royalty drinking, or supplying more than 50 people. The River Over 150 years ago Queen Victoria chose Deeside Dee supplies the whole of Aberdeen city (over 220000 as her preferred holiday destination and successive people) and over half of Aberdeenshire with domestic generations of the Royal Family have followed her water. example. So too have generations of holiday makers, visiting the area renowned for the majestic scenery, 2.4.2 Economically significant species and the many and varied sporting activities associated with the river and surrounding mountains. Areas designated to protect economically significant species were established under earlier EC directives. The waters of the whole catchment are designated as 2.3 Habitats and species ‘salmonid’ under the terms of the European Freshwater Fisheries Directive (2006/44/EC) which provides The Dee catchment is of exceptional conservation statutory protection for the fishery. value. Its flora and fauna are typical of an uncontaminated highland system that has been relatively little influenced by man. These include

22 Catchment overview 2.4.3 Recreational waters Cairnie Burn, the Leuchar burn and the Gormack burn.

Bathing Waters were designated under the Bathing 2.4.6 Cairngorms National Park Water Directive (76/160/EEC). Aberdeen’s extensive sandy beach, bounded by the Rivers Dee and Don The whole of the upper catchment west of Aboyne is well used for water sports and bathing. The most falls within the Cairngorms National Park, Britain’s popular stretch of the beach, the part fronting the largest National Park and one of the largest in main leisure complex area, was designated as a Europe. The Cairngorms was made a National Park Bathing Water in 1987. in September 2003 due to the importance of the wildlife and countryside it contains. The geology, 2.4.4 Areas designated for the protection of altitude and climate of the Cairngorms combine to habitats or species. produce plant and animal communities that are rare in a worldwide context. At its heart is the largest area These are areas designated for the protection of of arctic mountain landscape in the UK, with diverse habitats or species. They comprise sites designated communities around it. It is home to 16000 people under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), which and 25% of Britain’s threatened birds, animals, and are known as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), plants. Significant changes in this area would almost and Birds Directive (79/409/EEC), which are known certainly have consequences for nature conservation, as Special Protected Areas (SPAs). SACs and SPAs are the land economy and the recreational value of the together known as Natura 2000 sites. The River Dee Cairngorms. and its tributaries have been designated as an SAC because they support internationally important The Cairngorms National Park Authority has freshwater pearl mussel, Atlantic salmon and otter developed and published a National Park Plan which populations. In addition the Glen Tanar and Loch of brings together all those involved in the management Skene SPAs are in the Dee catchment; the headwaters of the Park; it is a Plan for the Park as a whole, not just of the Dee are part of the Cairngorms SPA. for the Park Authority. The Park Plan sets out a long term vision and strategic objectives looking at least Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance 25 years ahead, as well as identifying the priorities for designated under the Ramsar Convention. There are investment and action from 2007 to 2012. two Ramsar Sites in the Dee catchment: the Loch of Skene and the Muir of Dinnet.

Most of the upper main river and tributaries are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

2.4.5 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

The eastern part catchment is designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (Map 8) - an area identified to be at risk of elevated nitrate levels in groundwaters - from the City limits as far as Banchory. This area includes the catchments of the Bo Burn, the Burn of Sheeoch, the

Broadleaved woodland in Glen Gairn

Catchment overview 23 Table 3. Specially protected plants and animals in the Dee catchment

AP

LB

n am e cti on A East o ry AP P ri o rity AP t e cti on e d at Ha b itats o AP air ngo rms ards S tatut on n am e mm on Co S ci en tific pr E C D ir e cti ve U KB sp e ci s N o rt h C LB Rel C

Plants Grass wrack Potamogeton • • • 1-11 pond weed compressus Pillwort Pilularia globulifera • • • 1-11 Wych Elm Ulmus glabra • 3 / 20 / 24 Molluscs Freshwater pearl Margaritifera • II / V • • • 1-11 / 15-17 / 27 and salmon cards mussel margaritifera Amphibians Common frog Rana temporaria • V • • 1 / 2 / 21-23 Palmate newt Triturus helveticus • • • 1-12 / 21 Insects Hammerschmidtia Aspen hoverfly • • • 3 / 20 / 24 ferruginea Northern blue Coenagrion • • 1-11 / 21 / 23 / 25 damselfly hastulatum Stiletto-fly Cliorisimia rustic • • • Stone fly Brachyptera putata • • • 1-11 / 16 Fish 1-12 / 14/ 15 / 16 / 19 / 24 / 25 / 27 Atlantic salmon Salmo salar II / V • • / 32 / 33 Brook lamprey Lampetra planeri II • • 1-11 / 15 / 16 / 33 River lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis II / V • • 1-11 / 15 / 16 / 33 Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus II • • 1-12 / 15 / 16 / 19 / 33 Mammals Daubenton’s bat Myotis daubentonii • • 1-12 / 24 Otter Lutra lutra • II / IV • • • 1-12 / 14/ 18 / 20-26 Pipistrellus Pipistrelle bat • • • 3 / 20 / 21 / 23 / 24 / 26 / 29 pipistrellus Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris • • • 24 Water shrew Sorex palustris • • 21 / 23 Water vole Arvicola terrestris • • • • 1-11 / 18 / 20-23 / 31 Birds Goldeneye Bucephala clangula • • 1-11 Snipe Gallinago gallinago • • 20-23 Spotted crake Porzana porzana • • 21

Water rail Rallus aquaticus • • 21

Osprey Pandion haliaetus • • 1-11 / 21

24 Catchment overview Table 1 (left) lists specially protected freshwater organisms found in the Dee catchment, excluding brackish- water and estuarine species, but including some which only spend a part of their life-cycle in water. It indicates those which: . Have Statutory Protection (wholly or partly) under Schedules 5 (animals) and 8 (plants) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (taking account of changes made during quinquennial reviews). . Are included in Annexes to the EC Habitats Directive, together with a note of the Annex in which they are listed (II = Species for which Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) may be designated; IV = Species in need of strict protection; V = Species for which management measures may be required). . Are listed as ‘Priority Species’ under the Biodiversity Action Plan and covered by Local Biodiversity Action Plans. . Have actions in the NE or Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plans. . Are affected by actions in Dee CMP Action Cards.

Water vole Arvicola terrestris

Common frog Rana temporaria

Catchment overview 25 Table 4. Specially protected places in the Dee catchment

National Parks

Cairngorms National Park

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) List as of July 2006

Cairngorms NNR Muir of Dinnet NNR Dinnet Oakwood NNR

Morrone Birkwood NNR Glen Tanar NNR

Special Protection Areas (SPAs)

Cairngorms* Glen Tanar Ballochbuie

Caenlochan* Muir of Dinnet

Lochnagar Loch of Skene

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

Cairngorms* Coyles of Muick Muir of Dinnet

Caenlochan* Morven and Mullachdubh* Red Moss of Netherley

River Dee Glen Tanar Morrone Birkwood

Ballochbuie The Maim*

Ramsar sites

Cairngorm Lochs* Loch of Skene Muir of Dinnet

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

Cairngorms* Morven and Mullachdubh* Quithel Wood

Creag Clunie and the Lions Eastern Cairngorms* Muir of Dinnet Face

Glen Ey Gorge Pollagach Burn Craig Leek

Cairnwell* Glen Tanar Dalnabo Quarry

Garbh Choire Craigendarroch Crathie Wood

Glen Callater Dinnet Oakwood Coyles of Muick

Caenlochan* Loch of Aboyne Potarch

Fafernie Shannel Loch of Park

Morrone Birkwood Red moss of Netherley Old Wood of Drum

Loch of Skene

* sites that overlap with other river catchments

26 Catchment overview Lochnagar SPA

River Dee SAC

Glen Callater SSSI

Catchment overview 27 28 3. Issues

29 3. Issues management activities as one of the significant water management issues in the catchment. In particular This chapter describes key issues affecting the there has been a measurable deterioration in water catchment, and how the activities of the various quality in the lower parts of the Dee catchment stakeholders can affect its waters. At the end of the where contaminants entering the watercourses from chapter 37 issues affecting the catchments waters diffuse sources such as agriculture and urban runoff are listed, along with 37 corresponding objectives for are having a significant impact (Langan et al., 1997). improvement. The effect of pollution by these diffuse sources is that, while the upper and middle reaches of the River Dee 3.1 Water quality are described as ‘oligotrophic’ (low in nutrients) some intensively agricultural sub-catchments now show Pollution leading to the deterioration of water quality symptoms of eutrophication (nutrient enrichment). can be considered as from one of two sources: point For example, the Loch of Skene has been particularly source and diffuse. Point source pollution, as the affected by phosphorus enrichment and the resulting name suggests, is associated with discharges from eutrophication of the loch has led to the annual pipes. Typical examples of point sources are industrial presence of large quantities of blue-green algae in the discharges and sewage works. In contrast, diffuse summer months. These algal blooms often contain pollution sources are a mixture of very small point species which are potentially toxic to fish, livestock discharges and wider losses that individually are and people. insignificant but cumulatively can cause significant impact on a catchment’s water quality. In the past Unlike point source pollution, diffuse pollution is not regulation has been very effective in reducing easily controlled by issuing licences or permits and point source pollution, although there are still therefore innovative ways of controlling the risks from some problems related to sewage effluents. As a diffuse sources are required. Regulatory approaches consequence diffuse pollution is increasingly the focus have to be more subtle than those employed for and target for improving water quality. controlling point source pollution and in many cases need to be well connected to the land use planning Collectively, diffuse sources of water pollution can system. In part this will be achieved through the have significant effects on wildlife and our use of legislation and actions constituting the WFD. water. These effects include: • groundwater and surface water contamination 3.1.2 Opportunities for improvements and the subsequent loss, or need for treatment, of drinking water resources, The need for successful and profitable rural businesses with a healthy environment and thriving rural • nutrient enrichment and eutrophication, communities is widely recognised and this is reflected • oxygen depletion, in the ongoing reform of the EU Common Agricultural • toxicity to plant and animal life, including Policy (CAP). This is being delivered in Scotland under endocrine disruption in fish, the Rural Development Programme (2007-2013) under • smothering of freshwater pearl mussel beds and which farmers are being encouraged to incorporate fish spawning gravels. environmental considerations into farming techniques through a switch from production-related subsidies 3.1.1 Water quality in the Dee catchment to payments for land stewardship - compliance with the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions The Dee is regarded as one of the least contaminated (GAEC) is a condition of the Single Farm Payment and of the larger Scottish rivers (Maitland, 1985). This is there are a range of agri-environment schemes which mainly because the Dee has not suffered from the aim to offset the cost of making farm improvements in impacts of industrial pollution, since there is no heavy order to reduce diffuse pollution. Such improvements industry in the catchment and because the river is not include measures to reduce agricultural diffuse navigable, except in its estuary. However, although the pollution, including more efficient use of fertilisers and River Dee itself is largely of excellent quality, impacted manures, creating buffer strips, controlling rainwater areas and downgraded tributaries do exist. run-off, correct use and storage and use of organic fertilisers and pesticides, and implementing proper There has been considerable recent investment in means of disposing of agricultural waste. However, the Dee Catchment in order to reduce the impact of government support for these improvements must be effluent discharges on the river water quality. During sufficient to encourage farmers to cooperate with and the Q&S II investment period, under the Urban Waste participate in these schemes and so contribute to the Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD), Scottish Water implementation of the Dee CMP. made improvements to, or replaced, 7 Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) within the catchment. Forestry, another principal land use in the catchment, has the potential to have several significant effects SEPA has identified diffuse pollution from land on water quality. On one hand forests are an integral

30 Issues part of freshwater ecosystems and good forest and roads, and the more widespread application of management can protect and enhance the water Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). environment; in particular the presence of native species alongside watercourses can be hugely Disposal of waste to landfill leads to the generation beneficial to both water quality and wildlife. On the of concentrated effluent know as leachate. If other, forestry operations can result in diffuse pollution inadequately collected and treated leachate may (siltation, acidification and nutrient enrichment). The escape and pollute ground and surface waters as has Forestry Commission’s Forests and Water Guidelines happened at the Crow’s Nest landfill near Banchory. provide comprehensive guidance on good forestry While there is no statutory contaminated land in the practice in relation to watercourses. The Dee CMP catchment, several sites that may be contaminated therefore focuses the promotion and implementation have been identified. These include former gasworks, of these guidelines in combination with the need for unlicensed landfills filling stations and ad hoc infill. initiatives that will protect and enhance broadleaf Some of these sites have been investigated while riparian woodlands. others may prove to meet the legal definition of Contaminated Land and require remediation. Another significant cause of downgraded watercourses in the catchment is waste water arising Several water environments in Aberdeen City are from domestic and industrial sources. Problems included in the Dee CMP. These are: Aberdeen’s ‘heavily include surface water and foul sewer misconnections, modified’ urban watercourses, Aberdeen harbour problems with Combined Sewer Overflows and and Aberdeen beach. Although some reaches of inadequately maintained septic tanks and the Aberdeen’s watercourses are of reasonable quality solutions involve ensuring that all existing collecting - dippers breed every year on the Den Burn and systems are included in SW’s Capital Investment there are occasional sitings of kingfishers - most are Plan, ensuring new development is planned and culverted beneath the city for much of their length. implemented sustainably and, most significantly, Accordingly they are designated as Heavily Modified ensuring septic tanks are maintained properly and under WFD and so we are required to allow them to upgraded when necessary. reach ‘good ecological potential’. A number of burns in Aberdeen are at high risk of failing to meet this quality Water draining from hard surfaces, such as roads, target by 2015, these are Auchinyell Burn, the Den access tracks, roofs, carparks and other hard surfaces Burn, Gilcomston Burn and West Tullos Burn. Measures typical of the built environment also contribute to for Aberdeen Harbour focus on continued effort water quality problems in the catchment. Drainage to reduce the impacts of diffuse and point source water carries pollutants such oil and fuel spillage, de- pollution and ensuring noise and lighting conditions icing salt and fine material from waterbound tracks. suitable for Atlantic salmon to pass through the The measures needed to reduce these inputs relate to harbour as they migrate upstream are preserved. the design, construction and maintenance of tracks

Water quality issues 1. Diffuse agricultural pollution 2. Pesticides and sheep dip 3. Woodland management 4. Road and access track drainage 5. Surface water drainage 6. Public sewerage and drainage 7. Private sewage treatment 8. Use of organic fertilisers 9. Agricultural waste landfill 10. Landfill and contaminated land 11. Heavily modified watercourses in Aberdeen City 12. Aberdeen beach 13. Aberdeen harbour

Issues 31 3.2 Water resources The principal source of domestic water in Aberdeen and settlements within the catchment results from Water resource issues are related to the amount of the abstraction and treatment of river water from water and how this may vary across different seasons, the Dee. With continuing population growth and storms and localities and in turn how these may be demand for water within the catchment there is an affected by the environment and land management increasing demand for greater volumes of water to practices. Typically flows are lowest during the be supplied. At the same time there is some evidence summer months when smaller amounts of rain and to suggest that flows during the summer are getting higher temperatures increase losses to evaporation. lower. There is an active need to manage our demand Flows are usually higher in the winter and spring for a continuing supply of good quality water whilst with highest flows frequently occurring in autumn or balancing the needs of wildlife reliant on sufficient spring when rainstorms and snowmelt generate large river flows. Equally there is a need to assess the role of volumes of runoff. changing land management in promoting or reducing the incidence of extreme low or high flows. 3.2.1 Abstraction 3.2.2 Floods and droughts It is essential for all parts of society we have enough water to drink and support our livelihoods Too much water in the river can result in flooding and lifestyles; at the same time the needs of the of neighbouring land and properties and may pose environment and wildlife must be met. When water a threat to life and livelihoods. Whilst high flows levels are low wildlife can be affected adversely in a and flooding are natural processes there is some number of ways: low flows can increase vulnerability suggestion that they are occurring more frequently, as to high temperatures during the summer months, as a result of both land management and climate change. well as exacerbating the effects of pollution if there Land management may affect flooding through is insufficient water to dilute effluent discharges. practices which promote rapid runoff (e.g. laying Direct abstractions exacerbate low levels of water impermeable surfaces, land drainage), there is also in the river, particularly during the summer; on increasing pressure to build on the natural flood plains occasion abstractions from small watercourses and of rivers and burns. groundwaters can lead to small tributaries running dry. Climate change may contribute to changes in the pattern and occurrence of low and high flows in

Water resources Issues

14. Water abstraction

15. Land management and river flows

16. Flood alleviation

32 Issues Development and Engineering issues

17. Channel and bankside engineering works

18. Obstacles to fish passage

19. Impacts of changes in land use

future, which in turn may impact on both water quality prevent the passage of migratory fish and reduce and biodiversity. During the summer months low access to spawning areas, flows are likely to occur more frequently, as prolonged • the realignment of rivers to make access and periods of low or no rainfall accompanied by high working the land easier results in more uniform temperatures lead to high rates of water use and habitats and consequently reduces biodiversity, increased evapotranspiration. Climate change may • dredging and deepening of burns and also increase the occurrence and size of higher flows embankments can also result in the loss of through the increased occurrence of high intensity floodplain and increase flood risk downstream. rainfall events. Climate Change may also give rise to precipitation falling as rain rather than snow, leading Even though management work or development in to less snow accumulating and thus contributing to or near a river or burn has been carefully thought out the generation of higher flows. and executed such that environmental impacts are minimised, there may be a knock on effect outwith 3.3 Development and engineering the immediate area of the work and sometimes at a considerable distance. Erosion may be accelerated in Many rivers, including the Dee, have a history of some areas and displaced material may affect water engineering activities. These have had an important quality, damage spawning grounds, infill pools and role in the growth of its economy, for example result in siltation elsewhere. Such effects can alter the embankments, erosion protection and dredging natural function of the river system and disturb and have allowed access for fishing, cultivation and threaten wildlife. development of land adjacent to watercourses. However, development and engineering represent In addition to the potential for detrimental impact a long term change to the morphology and in river on the biodiversity and morphology of the area there processes and can be detrimental to the water is also potential for causing flooding due to a lack of environment: consideration of the overall effect on a watercourse. • hard engineering structures tend to deflect flow For example, building flood banks may protect those which can increase erosion downstream, in the immediate vicinity from flooding but it may • the construction of embankments leads to the also shift the problem downstream to affect others. loss of floodplain and wetland areas with a In addition, although flood banks will hold back flood resultant loss in habitat/biodiversity and increased waters to a certain extent, once overtopped, the risk of flooding downstream, banks can trap water behind, leaving land flooded and useless for weeks rather than hours. Working with, • artificial barriers, including culverts and weirs, can rather than against, rivers can reduce the need for,

Issues 33 and the scale of, intervention and can deliver cost- remain are vulnerable to enrichment from agricultural effective and long-lasting solutions to land and river runoff and further drainage. management problems such as bank erosion. These habitats are well used by birds, bats and 3.4 Habitats otters and reducing the capacity of these areas has consequences for the wildlife that depend on them. River corridors and their associated bankside structure Drainage also has consequences for the catchment’s and vegetation provide habitats for a wide range water balance, by increasing the rate that water flows of flora and fauna. There are many human activities through it and so causing a greater propensity of which can affect the quantity, quality and continuity spate flows. Spates accelerate erosion and this can of these habitats. Although these can be detrimental, be damaging to salmon redds and mussel beds and sensitive management can mean that the biodiversity make the catchment more vulnerable to catastrophic and the physical structure and functioning of rivers flooding. and burns are retained. Many of the generic pressures on these habitats have been presented previously in The condition and distribution the catchment’s this chapter in relation to water quantity, quality and wet woodlands and riparian woodlands have been development pressures. In this section we consider affected by factors such as clearance, planting of six habitats whose protection, enhancement and other tree species, overgrazing, drainage, flood recreation are key objectives of the Dee CMP. These prevention measures, dumping and invasion by non- are: lowland wetlands; upland wetlands; flood plains; native plant species. The woodland types provide wet and riparian woodlands; bankside grasslands and important habitat for a number of plant, invertebrate, urban watercourses. bird and mammal species, including a number of Biodiversity Action Plan priorities. Riparian woodlands The upland wetland habitats in the Dee catchment also have an important role as a link between are of national and international nature conservation terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, influencing importance for their communities of birds, the health and productivity of rivers and burns and invertebrates and plants; some possess remnant providing exceptional value for nature conservation water vole populations which have been largely lost and amenity. Leaves and insects falling from trees from the lowlands. Blanket bogs, the most extensive provide essential food for aquatic invertebrates and habitat type in the catchment, have an additional fish and tree roots stabilise riverbanks, capture and essential role in regulating runoff after rain or snow recycle mineral nutrients and can buffer watercourses by absorbing large quantities of water and releasing it from diffuse pollutants from adjacent forestry slowly. The valleys of the Dee catchment hold a variety and agricultural land. Restoration to improve the of wetlands, including raised bogs, natural ponds, wet connectivity between riparian woods can make a woodlands and wet hollows. A few lochs have been major contribution to the development of forest drained completely while others have had their water habitat networks. capacity reduced by artificial drainage. Those that

Habitat issues 20. Lowland wetlands 21. Upland wetlands 22. Floodplains 23. Wet and riparian woodlands 24. Bankside grasslands 25. Urban watercourses

34 Issues Modified habitats, such as urban watercourses, are also valuable environments for wildlife and amenity. Although this their management involves a range of challenges due to highly conflicting pressures, the WFD requires us to allow them to reach at least ‘good ecological potential’. The sustainable management of urban watercourse habitats is therefore an Objective of the Dee CMP, along with the closely linked Objective of improving water quality in Aberdeen’s heavily modified watercourses (under Water Quality).

Various local initiatives are already addressing issues relating to some of these habitats. For example, the NE Local Biodiversity Action Plan has developed a Wet Retrofitted baffles allow the passage of migratory salmonids. and Riparian Woodlands Habitat Action Plan and one to, the mussels, particularly amongst those likely for Wetlands is being developed in association with to undertake river engineering works. There is also the RSPB. Many of the actions that have been agreed an urgent need to investigate and address the in plans such as these have been incorporated in the significance of recent declines in spring run salmon. relevant Dee CMP Action Cards. The Eurasian otter is present throughout the 3.5 Species catchment, from the river’s mouth to the upper reaches of its tributaries, including many high altitude 3.5.1 Threatened/protected species lochs. The strength and viability of the population is representative of NE Scotland and is reflected its Freshwater plants and animals are an integral part inclusion as a qualifying species in the SAC designation of the Dee catchment. They include several species of not only the Dee but also for the Ballochbuie, which have been identified for specific conservation Cairngorms, Muir of Dinnet and Glen Tanar. In order measures, some of which are protected by domestic to safeguard the catchment’s otter populations the (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and EC (Special priorities are to ensure that bankside engineering and Protected Areas and Special Areas of Conservation) management works do not damage or destroy holts or legislation; this a reflection of the high environmental vegetation cover used as couches and to protect and quality of the catchment’s waters. Protected species enhance ponds and wetlands used as feeding habitat; include the freshwater pearl mussel, otter and Atlantic there is a need to identify key sites for otters so that salmon, for which the Dee has been designated as a these safeguards can be effected. Special Area of Conservation. There are many other important and protected The Dee supports one of the healthiest populations of freshwater species in the catchment, all of which will Atlantic salmon in the western Europe and the spring benefit from the implementation of the Dee CMP’s fishery is world famous. However, while numbers Objectives (Table 3). Several local plans are addressing of later running salmon and grilse appear to be the needs of many of these species through habitat- increasing spring running salmon are going through and species-specific action programmes. These a period of decreased abundance. Several factors include both the Cairngorms and the North East Local in the scope of the Dee CMP threaten the health Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) initiatives. Relevant of the catchment’s salmon population, including North East LBAPs are: Rivers and Burns, Wet and downgraded water quality, man made barriers to fish Riparian Woodland, Estuarine and Intertidal Habitats, passage, introduction of diseases, parasites and alien Farmland, Water Vole, Daubenton’s Bat. species and the degredation of juvenile and spawning habitat through civil engineering and pollution. 3.5.2 Non native invasive species

The Dee’s freshwater pearl mussel population of an As well as enhancing the Dee catchment’s existing estimated 1.3million mussels is one of the largest in wildlife there is a need to address threats to native the world. However it has been adversely affected biodiversity from invasive alien species. These include by a combination of reduced water quality, past the American mink, grey squirrel and several species pearl fishing, catchment drainage schemes and river of plants, such as giant hogweed and Japanese engineering activity for flood defences and fishery knotweed; this section includes species which are improvements. Although there are a few healthy native to Britain but are not considered to be native mussel beds most are failing to achieve European to the River Dee, for example the floating Ranunculus targets set for juvenile recruitment and population sp. (water crowfoot) in the main stem of the Dee can density. There is an urgent need to investigate the cause problems for anglers. reasons for population declines, to raise awareness of the presence of, and legal protection afforded

Issues 35 While there is no Action Card dedicated to enhancing not been undertaken or are not current. The need to the catchment’s water vole populations, several establish the spread of these species is therefore as an actions in the Dee CMP will benefit the habitat initial action in relevant Action Cards. of this threatened species. In addition, actions specific to the removal of American mink, which 3.5.3 Extinct native species threaten catchment’s water vole populations, have been included. These have been prepared in close The reintroduction of extinct native species is not an collaboration with the Cairngorms and north east objective of the Dee CMP. However, strong arguments water vole projects. surround the reintroduction of the European beaver to the catchment, which, according to scientific research, There has been a significant increase in the number supports some of the most suitable beaver habitat in of fish ponds in the catchment in recent years. These northern Scotland (Macdonald et al. 2000). The points are either commercial put and take fisheries or raised during the consultation on the draft Dee CMP private ponds stocked with exotic ornamental fish. are presented below. Commercial fisheries are becoming more widespread as people exploit the demand for inexpensive fishing Beavers are a missing element of Scotland’s and there are now at least 10 such ponds in the native biodiversity and were lost through human catchment. Private ponds range from small garden activities, principally over-hunting for their fur. They ponds stocked with a few goldfish to specialist are considered to play an important role in the hobby ponds containing rare and expensive breeds management of riparian and wetland ecosystems and from all over the world. The fish stocked in these as such are termed a ‘keystone species’. Beavers and artificial ponds can have adverse impacts on natural their activities are thought to bring many potential fish populations in connected watercourses and the benefits, such as improving water quality; creating escape or release of non native species (e.g. American new habitats for fish and other biodiversity; acting signal crayfish, Canadian pondweed) from these ponds as a wildlife tourism attraction; and helping to store can have serious long term effects on the natural water in the landscape. However, concerns focus on ecosystem the potential impact of beaver foraging on riparian woodland and of beaver damming activity, particularly The extent of the spread of alien plant and fish species on other important species, such as salmon, although is not clear; several problem species are known to be evidence from river systems elsewhere in Europe and present in the catchment but dedicated surveys have North America suggests that beaver dams there do

species issues 26. Atlantic salmon 27. Freshwater pearl mussel 28. Otter 29. Invasive plant species 30. American mink 31. Fishing ponds 32. Fish data

36 Issues Access and recreation issues 33. Access and recreation

not have significant, detrimental impacts on salmonid erosion caused by riverside footpaths. Some popular fish (Halley & Lamberg, 2001; Pollock et al., 2004; Parker & recreational activities on Deeside can conflict with Rønning, 2007). one another, and, although relationships between the various users of the river are on the whole very A public consultation exercise is currently being cordial, there are a number of hotspots that require conducted for a trial beaver reintroduction in Argyll management (River Dee Access and Fishing Study, 2003). by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and these bodies will soon apply Recreation has an important contribution to make to to the Scottish Government for a licence to release the local economy of Deeside as well as the wellbeing beavers at a site there. Full reintroduction of beavers of local residents and this increased popularity is to other river systems in Scotland would likely be welcome. However, the popularity of these activities dependent on the outcomes of such a monitored is increasing (due to a general increase in leisure time trial reintroduction; in addition the potential for and the right of responsible access to land and inland reintroducing any extinct native species to the waters established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Dee catchment would be subject to local public Act 2003 and there is therefore a need to reach a consultation and would have to be considered in the balance between outdoor pursuits, land management context of the likely land management and ecological and conservation interests. The Dee CMP therefore impacts. Therefore this issue does not currently form includes Actions that will help the expansion of these part of the Dee CMP. interests to be undertaken sustainably.

3.6 Access and Recreation 3.7 Sub-catchments

Many thousands of people visit Deeside each year to The Dee CMP presents Action Cards relating to the participate in a range of outdoor pursuits, including management of two tributaries of the River Dee (the walking, orienteering, camping, climbing, cycling, Tarland Burn and the Elrick Burn) and two lochs (the kayaking/canoeing, mountain biking, horse riding, Loch of Skene and Loch Davan). These Objectives build fishing, shooting and skiing. All of these activities have on the work of recent initiatives (3-Dee Vision, Mid Dee the potential to downgrade the water environment and EU LIFE projects) which have undertaken works in some way. The main concerns are the impacts of aimed at improving water quality in downgraded toileting activities and litter - problems associated areas of the catchment. with most outdoor pursuits - which can harm both human health and the water environment, as well The 3-Dee Vision project was established in 2003 as detracting from the area’s appearance. Other supported by European funding with the aim of localised problems include engineering and bankside improving the quality of three of these water bodies management associated with fishery management, (Tarland Burn, Elrick Burn and Loch Davan). This was a which can sometimes affect bankside habitats, and partnership project, involving the local communities,

Issues 37 Sub catchment Issues 34. Tarland burn 35. Loch Davan 36. Loch of Skene 37. Elrick Burn

The Loch of Skene, one the catchment’s ‘at risk’ water bodies, suffers downgraded water quality due to nutrient enrichment from a variety of sources. The management of this site is well suited to an integrated approach, due to the diversity of interests involved - a dedicated Action Card has therefore been included in the Dee CMP.

land owners and managers and public bodies all management, and 2) to support and develop the working together to achieve improvements in water improvements already achieved. quality in these catchments. This project has ended, but the measures that have been put in place, as well as continuing to benefit the catchments, will be of great value as demonstration sites to help encourage similar improvements elsewhere in the Dee catchment.

The EU LIFE-Nature project Conservation of Atlantic Salmon in Scotland (CASS) was led by the Dee Fishery Board. Following baseline fish and habitat surveys to identify areas where habitat improvements would benefit the salmon populations, works undertaken included: instream habitat improvements on the Beltie Burn, where rubble mats were placed to increase habitat quality; coppicing in areas of riparian woodland where tunnelling was reducing light penetration and reducing productivity; contracts to establish large areas of riparian fencing, to reduce the effects of livestock grazing and to establish silt traps (to reduce the direct input of silt in heavily- farmed areas). SNH finalised a Natural Care Scheme to maintain the fencing and silt traps beyond the end of the LIFE project.

If the water quality in these sub catchments is to continue to improve these works need to be maintained and further developed; the opportunity also exists to promote them as demonstration sites. Several sub catchments have therefore been included in this management plan. The aims of the relevant Action Cards are twofold: 1) to provide examples of ongoing, integrated approaches to catchment

38 Issues 3.8 Action Cards

A central feature of the Dee CMP is a set of 37 Action Cards. Each Action Card addresses one of the 37 Objectives listed in this chapter is the subject of a separate Action Card (Table 3). Each Action Card: • States the objective. • Summarises the background to the objective. • List the main issues. • Summarises existing and recent initiatives. • States the actions required for the objective to be achieved. • Suggests the partners most appropriate to carry out these actions. • List the relevant legislation and guidelines.

The Action Cards are presented as stand alone documents in the Dee CMP Action Pack. They are also available to view or download individually from the project website www.theriverdee.org.

Tarland landscape

Issues 39 40

Issues Table 5. Objectives of the Dee Catchment Management Plan

Water quality

1. Improve water quality in rural areas by making planned and coordinated reductions in diffuse agricultural pollution.

2. Ensure agricultural pesticides and sheep dip are stored, used and disposed of in accordance with regulations.

3. Encourage and promote good environmental practice for woodland expansion and management in order to protect and enhance water quality and biodiversity.

4. Promote best management practice for dealing with road and access track drainage.

5. Manage surface water drainage sustainably, taking account of water quality, habitat and flood risk.

6. Ensure existing foul and surface water drainage infrastructures are satisfactory and those serving new developments are planned sustainably.

7. Improve effluent quality from private sewage treatment systems to ensure compliance with the requirements of the SAC interests.

8. Control the storage and application of organic fertilisers to avoid direct and indirect water pollution.

9. Control operational agricultural waste landfill sites to avoid pollution of watercourses.

10. Limit the environmental impact of existing and closed landfill sites. Identify and remediate Contaminated Land.

11. Improve water quality in Aberdeen’s heavily modified urban watercourses.

12. Ensure good bathing water quality at Aberdeen beach.

13. Reduce the impact of activities linked to Aberdeen harbour on water quality.

Water resources

14. Regulate abstraction to prevent harm to SAC interests and ecological status, especially during low flow periods.

15. Manage the land so as to attenuate rates of runoff (thereby reducing the severity of floods and droughts).

16. Coordinate flood alleviation schemes in the catchment. Seek to prevent new flooding problems.

development and engineering works

17. Promote environmentally sustainable engineering works to the river channel and banks in order to maintain SAC interests and the biodiversity of the river.

18. Remove or redesign man-made obstacles in order to facilitate fish passage.

19. Ensure that changes of land use do not impact adversely on riverine habitats and species. Habitats

20. Encourage re-creation of lost lowland wetland habitats.

21. Encourage re-creation of lost upland wetland habitats.

22. Reinstate the functionality of active floodplains.

23. Support the restoration of degraded areas of wet and riparian woodland and encourage their expansion through planting or regeneration on appropriate sites.

24. Identify species-rich bankside grasslands and promote positive management to maintain their diversity.

25. Manage the habitat of urban watercourses sustainably.

Species

26. Conserve and enhance the population, distribution and range of genetic sub-populations of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar across the naturally accessible parts of the catchment.

27. Implement measures to achieve agreed targets for the Dee freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera population.

28. Maintain the population and current distribution of otter Lutra lutra throughout the river catchment.

29. Control invasive non native plant species such as giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam.

30. Control American mink in the Dee catchment.

31. Manage fishing ponds sustainably.

32. Establish and implement a programme for monitoring and reporting the status of all fish species in the Dee.

access and Recreation

33. Ensure the catchment’s water environment is protected from the impacts of recreational activity.

sub catchment management

34. Improve water and habitat quality in the Tarland burn.

35. Improve water and habitat quality in Loch Davan. Issues 36. Improve the water quality of the Loch of Skene.

37. Improve the water and habitat quality of the Elrick burn. 41 42 4. Who is involved?

43 4. Who is involved?

This section of the Dee Catchment Management Plan summarises the various agencies, organisations and individuals involved and the nature of their activities that relate to the Dee catchment’s water resources. These ‘stakeholders’ have been grouped according to their sector, to make it easy to identify the issues with which they are associated and hence the Action Cards that are most relevant.

The colour-coded bar at the head of each section indicates the numbers of the Action Cards in which the sector is involved.

44 who is involved? 4.1 Agencies

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

Each of the following agencies is the administrative division of a government or business service organisation who is authorised to act in the interests of the wider public/stakeholders. These agencies are involved in the majority of the Action Cards.

Table 6. Agencies: roles and responsibilities. Scottish Environment SEPA’s main aim is to provide an efficient and integrated environmental protection Protection Agency (SEPA) system for Scotland that will both improve the environment and contribute to the Scottish Ministers’ goal of sustainable development. SEPA carries out various duties to achieve this aim: . Regulation of all discharges to water and land. . Regulation of larger industrial premises in an integrated manner to protect air, land and water quality. . Sampling water quality and monitoring the wider environment through chemical and ecological monitoring. . Provider of advice to prevent pollution and encourage sustainable development. . Regulation of landfills, waste transfer stations and civic amenity sites. . Investigation of fly tipping of environmentally hazardous items. . Advises Planning Authorities on Flood Risk and provides flood warnings via the Floodline service. . Lead authority responsible for the implementation of the WFD in Scotland.

Scottish Natural Heritage . Provide expert assistance with regard to legally protected sites and nature (SNH) conservation issues. . Manage the Dinnet National Nature Reserve to protect the nature conservation interests on the Reserve as well as for the internationally protected sites. . Has a legal duty to protect sites of nature conservation importance.

Aberdeen City Council . Environmental Health – refuse disposal, private water supply, industrial waste and (ACC) and Aberdeenshire education of need to reduce impact on the environment. Council (AC). . Planning – policy development, local and structure plan, development control. . Transportation and Infrastructure – development and maintenance of roads and bridges, flood prevention, landscape and open space management.

Scottish Government Rural . Development and delivery of Scottish Rural Development Programme (Cross Payments and Inspections Compliance, Rural Development Contracts, Regional Project Assessment Directorate (SGRPID) Committees). . Promotion of good farming practice. . Farm inspections.

Forestry Commission . Forestry management. Scotland (FCS) . Promotion of Forests and Water Guidelines.

Cairngorms National Park Ensure that the National Park aims are achieved collectively and in a co-ordinated way. Authority (CNPA) These aims are: . To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area. . To promote sustainable use of the natural resources. . To promote understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area by the public. . To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

Scottish Water (SW) . Provision of water supply wastewater services. . All of Scottish Water’s investment is delivered through the Quality and Standards process. This process is owned by Scottish Ministers, who set the objectives for Scottish Water on the advice of SEPA, Drinking Water Quality Regulator and Water Industry Commission.

Who is involved? 45 4.2 Land businesses

1 2 3 7 8 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

The River Dee catchment supports a wide range of land-based organisations and businesses, including farming, forestry, field sports and other rural enterprises such as those involved in tourism. these businesses provide many economic, social and environmental benefits, such as local employment and conservation of the environmental qualities of the area. Those involved include private individuals such as land owners and land managers as well as government agencies such as SNH, SEPA, SGRPID and FCS.

Land-based businesses shape a large part of the catchment’s landscape, giving much of the area its distinctive character and many rely on the catchment’s waters, for example to provide irrigation for crops and water for farm animals. Many of their activities have significant potential to affect the catchment’s water environment, As well as protecting the catchment’s waters by adopting good practices to avoid, for example diffuse pollution and siltation, the land business sector plays a significant role in helping to maintain, create and connect wildlife habitats, as well as helping to protect other areas from the damaging effects of floods and droughts.

Table 7. Land business: roles and responsibilities Statutory / LAs (land management, environmental services, economic development, access officers, regulatory planning, transportation) responsibilities or a strategic CNPA (access officers, land management, conservation) role in policy / SNH (conservation and access support) development / promotion FCS (woodland management)

SEPA (pollution minimisation, water quality, abstraction regulation)

SGRPID (good agricultural practice)

Direct DDSFB (fishery management) responsibilities for undertaking or Land owners, land managers, ghillies, gamekeepers and estate rangers (land and visitor managing particular management) activities FCS (woodland management and ranger services)

NTS (estate management and visitor attractions)

GCT (game management).

EGDMG (deer management)

Who benefits from Land-based businesses (land owners, land managers, other rural businesses) the activities of this sector? Other rural businesses not related to the land (hotels, restaurants) Local communities (residents)

Visitors/tourists and associated recreational bodies (land related activities such as walking, cycling, canoeing, angling)

Who else is involved Land owners and managers, and their representative organisations e.g. SRPBA, SEBG, NFUS in / affected by the activities of this Scottish Agricultural College, FWAG, SGRPID (research / advisory services) sector? Local communities and their representative organisations (Community Trusts e.g. Birse, Community business associations e.g. BRD, Community Councils and Community Associations, Local Authority Local Access Forums)

Conservation bodies - ASFB, SWT, SNW, Woodland Trust, RSPB, CLBAP, NELBAP, Arnhall Moss Management Association

46 who is involved? 4.3 Fisheries, angling and fish ponds

1 3 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

The River Dee spring fishery is world famous and supports 500 full-time equivalent jobs within the catchment. These ghillies, riparian owners, as well as fishing clients and the members of angling clubs and associations, have intimate knowledge of the catchment’s watercourses. They are involved with the management of rivers and burns on a daily basis.

The measures they undertake include improvements to water quality and instream habitats, as well as removing obstructions to migratory fish and collecting fish data and River Dee Trust biologists are involved in a number of collaborative projects with research institutes. Many of these projects benefit the broader health of the river system, as well as the fishery, however fisheries improvements can also be detrimental (for example to bankside habitats) and there is an ongoing need to involve fisheries interests as part of an integrated river environment.

Other organisations involved include research institutes and those involved with the catchment’s commercial fish ponds.

Table 8. Fisheries, angling and fish ponds: roles and responsibilities Statutory / regulatory DDSFB (fishery management) responsibilities or a strategic role in LAs (land management, economic development, planning) policy / development / CNPA: (land management, conservation) promotion SNH (conservation, Habitats Directive - Dee SAC)

FCS (riparian woodland management)

SEPA (pollution minimisation, water quality)

SGRPID (support for good agricultural practice)

Direct responsibilities DDSFB / RDT (fishery management) for undertaking or managing particular Fisheries Research Services activities Riparian Owners

Ghillies

Angling Associations and Clubs

FCS (riparian woodland management)

Who benefits from the Fishery based businesses (land owners, land managers, other rural businesses) activities of this sector? Other rural businesses (hotels, restaurants)

Local Communities (residents)

Angling associated visitors/tourists

Who else is involved in / Riparian owners/managers, and their representative organisations such as SRPBA, Dee affected by the activities Ghillies Group of this sector? Local communities and other recreational user groups

Who is involved? 47 4.4 The built environment

4 5 6 7 11 13 15 16 17 18 19 22 25 26 27 37

The Dee valley has been inhabited for several thousand years, during which time mankind has developed infrastructure to suit his needs. This built environment which was, and still is, fundamental to human existence has been imposed upon the landscape often without heeding its impact. Needs vary with time and so much infrastructure eventually becomes redundant. All too often its impact remains long after it ceases to be useful.

The management of the built environment involves a range of different parties, including regulatory bodies with statutory responsibilities, industry and commerce, developers and estate managers and individual property owners. The Garlogie dam Dee CMP aims to help to reduce adverse impacts from existing infrastructure and avoid it where possible in the future.

Table 9. The built environment: roles and responsibilities. Statutory / regulatory Aberdeen Harbour Board (harbour maintenance and development) responsibilities or a strategic role in Local Planning Authority (Strategic planning and development control) policy / development / Local Roads Authority (Road transport network) promotion SEPA (Lead Authority for implementation of Water Framework Directive, pollution minimisation, water quality, abstraction regulation)

Scottish Water (water supply and waste water treatment)

SNH (Conservation and access support)

Transport Scotland (Trunk road network)

Direct responsibilities DDSFB / RDT (fishery management) for undertaking or managing particular Riparian Landowners activities SNH (implementation of the Habitats Directive)

Aberdeen Harbour Board (pollution management)

Local Roads Authority/Transport Scotland (roads infrastructure development)

Scottish Water (water supply/waste infrastructure)

Developers (housing and industrial development)

Forestry (forestry roads and tracks)

Who benefits from the Land-based businesses (land owners, land managers, other rural businesses) activities of this sector? Other rural businesses (hotels, restaurants)

Local communities (residents)

Visitors/tourists and associated recreational bodies (land related activities such as walking, cycling, canoeing, angling)

Who else is involved in / Local communities affected by the activities of this sector? Conservation bodies/ non governmental organisations e.g. RSPB

48 who is involved? 4.5 Business and industry

4 5 7 11 25 37

Several of the Dee catchment’s industries depend on supplies of water from the catchment’s aquifers. These industries are based on the high quality of this resource and these qualities are central to the marketing of their products; these businesses would be severely affected by downgraded water quality or uncertainties in supply and so they have a vested interest in the catchment’s waters.

As well as the industries that are based on a supply of water from the catchment, there are a range of other small-medium sized businesses - such as oil service companies, service sector- banks, retail, catering and trade - all of which rely on water to some extent and therefore need to consider how they use and conserve this natural resource and the impacts their actions can have on the environment.

Table 10. Business and industry: roles and responsibilities. Statutory / regulatory Local Authorities (waste services, transportation, education, planning, housing, responsibilities or environmental health monitoring catering establishments) a strategic role in policy / development / Scottish Water (water supply and waste water treatment) promotion SEPA (regulation of abstraction and discharge, pollution control)

Direct responsibilities Rural businesses (whisky and bottled water plants – access to clean water) for undertaking or managing particular Commerical sector (industrial yards - management of surface water runoff) activities Waste from businesses – service sector, light/heavy commercial (waste water /water supply)

Waste from industry – paper mills, sawmills, oil and oil service companies (management of waste products)

Who benefits from the Local communities (community businesses and householders) activities of this sector? Associated small/medium sized business in the supply chain

Who else is involved in / Community business associations affected by the activities of this sector? Householders and visitors to the area

Who is involved? 49 4.6 Householders and local communities

7 11 20 22 25 33

Many of Scotland’s villages, towns and cities were built next to rivers and burns. The settlements of the Dee catchment are no different, the majority of the major settlements (Aberdeen, Banchory, Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar) being established along the main stem of the River Dee and the waters of the River Dee and its tributaries are important sources of water for domestic use.

The Dee CMP addresses several issues that are of direct relevance to many of the catchment’s communities. For example, there are actions which could both help to reduce the severity of flooding and also maintain flow during times of drought.

Individual householders and local communities have significant roles to play in the Dee CMP. Individuals can help to protect local watercourses in the catchment, for example by cutting down on the amount of natural resources used within a household, reducing the amount of waste produced, conserving water by not leaving taps running unnecessarily, being careful of what is put down the drain and maintaining septic tanks properly.

Table 11. Householders and communities: roles and responsibilities Statutory / regulatory Local Authorities (waste services, transportation, education, planning, housing) responsibilities or a strategic role in policy / Scottish Water (water supply and waste water treatment) development / promotion SEPA (regulation of abstraction and discharge, pollution control)

Direct responsibilities for Local Authorities (waste services, transportation, education, planning, housing) undertaking or managing particular activities Scottish Water (water supply and waste water treatment) SEPA (regulation of abstraction and discharge, pollution control)

Who benefits from the Householders - benefit from continuous supply of fresh water, removal of foul water and activities of this sector? waste.

Communities – benefit from clean and healthy environment e.g. street cleaning, waste removal, management of parks and open spaces

Local Agencies – by working together with householders and communities to reduce use of natural resources and reduction of waste.

Who else is involved in / Scottish Water – maintainance of public water supply and management of sewage effluent affected by the activities of this sector? Local Authorities . management of household waste and waste from community activities (halls, open spaces, transport networks) . responsibility for reducing household and industrial waste . awareness raising and education of need to reduce impact on the environment

SEPA . has responsibility, along with Local Authorities, to ensure that owners manage and maintain private water supplies and septic tanks effectively.

50 who is involved? 4.7 Tourism and recreation

27 33 35 36

The River Dee and its surroundings have long been a focus for a range of recreational activity, both for local communities and visitors. Popular activities range from informal pastimes such as picnicking and sunbathing to more active pursuits such as walking, windsurfing or canoeing; many of these activities are privately arranged by individuals or clubs, while others are organised commercially. Although water-based and riparian (river bank) activities clearly have the most potential for direct impact on the water environment, all of these activities can affect the waters of the Dee catchment.

Recreation and its management in the Dee catchment involves a range of different parties, from government agencies with statutory responsibilities such as local authorities and SNH, through the land owners on whose ground the activities take place, to the individuals taking part in recreational pursuits.

Table 12. Tourism and recreation: roles and responsibilities. Statutory / Local Authorities (natural and built heritage e.g. access and ranger services, waste services, regulatory transportation, outdoor education, economic development) responsibilities or a strategic CNPA (access officers, visitor services, land management) role in policy / SEG (support for business) development / promotion SNH (conservation and access support)

SEPA (Lead Authority for implementation of Water Framework Directive)

Visit Scotland (support for tourism businesses and destination marketing)

Sportscotland (encourages participation in active sport)

Direct DDSFB (fishery) responsibilities for undertaking Estate rangers or managing Ghillies and gamekeepers particular activities FCS (woodland management and ranger services)

NTS (estate management and visitor attractions)

EGDMG (deer management)

GCT (game management)

Recreational Trusts and Projects (ECAP, ACP)

Who benefits Tourism businesses (activity providers, retail outlets, accommodation providers, restaurants) from the activities of this User bodies (walking groups, mountaineering groups, angling associations, canoe clubs, national sector? associations e.g. Ramblers, MCS, SCA) NEMT etc

Individual recreationalists

Who else is Land owners, land managers, and their representative organisations such as SRPBA and NFUS. involved in / affected by the Local communities and their representative organisations (Community Trusts e.g. Birse, Community activities of this business associations e.g. BRD, Community Councils and Community Associations) sector? Conservation bodies (SWT, SNW, Woodland Trust, RSPB, LBAP, Arnhall Moss Management Association)

Who is involved? 51 4.8 Aberdeen harbour

13

Once an inlet of sand and shingle, the Dee estuary has, over hundreds of years, been altered by the pressures of a growing port and city. The harbour in Aberdeen is the country’s oldest business and can trace its history back to 1136. The modern port is one of the UK’s busiest and is managed by an independent statutory authority created by an Act of Parliament. The port comprises an estate of around 154 hectares with 6km of quays and handles more than 8300 ships, 4.7 million tones of cargo and 132000 passengers a year.

Aberdeen harbour is a global hub for the support of offshore oil and gas activity and the home of lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles. There is a brisk trade in refined products, paper products, grain and scrap as well as a busy fish market. Since 1970 over £130 million has been invested to develop a modern port.

The port is a focal point for industrial and commercial activity supporting thousands of jobs and contributing more than £100 million into the local economy each year. This activity must continue without compromising the upstream migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and conditions for this journey will be maintained by continuous monitoring and maintence of water quality. Key issues include morphological change and the impacts of diffuse and point source pollution.

Table 13. Aberdeen harbour: roles and responsibilities

Statutory / regulatory Maritime & Coastguard Agency (regulation of merchant shipping) responsibilities or a SEPA (regulation of terrestrial activity) strategic role in policy / development / promotion FRS (regulation of marine environment)

Aberdeen Harbour Board (administration, maintenance and development of the port) Direct responsibilities for undertaking or managing Tenants (industrial and commercial components of port based activities) particular activities Scottish Government and Department for Transport (set policy framework for ports industry)

Local communities (community businesses and householders) Who benefits from the Associated small/medium sized business in the supply chain activities of this sector? Sea fishery/oil service and tourism industries

Who else is involved in / Community business associations affected by the activities of this sector? Householders and visitors to the area

52 who is involved? 4.9 Which sectors are involved in each Objective/Action Card?

The sectors involved in each of the Objectives are indicated in Table 12. Organisations in these sectors are listed as partners in the corresponding Action Cards.

Table 14. Sectoral involvement in each Action Card.

ng a n d i

tit le

ngl on m en t a a n d , p on d

a n d

s o mmu n iti e s card e c ri b usi ne ss env ir h fis h

t he cti on is ci e s Agen La n d Busi ne ss i n dustry H o us ehol d e rs ca l lo urism To on r e cr ati h ar bo ur Abe rd een O bje cti ve A F a n d Bui l

1 Diffuse agricultural pollution • • • 2 Pesticides and sheep dip • • 3 Woodland management • • • 4 Road and access track drainage • • • 5 Surface water drainage • • • 6 Public sewerage/drainage systems • • 7 Private sewage treatment systems • • • • • 8 Storage and use of organic fertilisers • • 9 Agricultural landfill sites • • 10 Contaminated land and landfill • 11 Watercourses in Aberdeen City • • • • 12 Aberdeen beach • • 13 Aberdeen harbour • • • • 14 Abstraction • • • 15 Effects of land management on river flow • • • • 16 Flood alleviation • • • • 17 Channel and bankside engineering works • • • • 18 Obstacles to fish passage • • • • 19 Impacts of changes in land use • • • 20 Lowland wetlands • • • 21 Upland wetlands • • 22 Flood plains • • • • • 23 Wet and riparian woodland • • • 24 Bankside grasslands • • • 25 Urban watercourses • • • • • 26 Atlantic salmon • • • • 27 Freshwater pearl mussel • • • • • 28 Otter • • • 29 Invasive plant species • • • 30 American mink • • • 31 Fish pond management • • • 32 Fish data • • • 33 Impacts of acess and recreation • • • • • 34 Tarland burn catchment • • • 35 Loch Davan catchment • • • • 36 Loch of Skene catchment • • • • 37 Elrick burn catchment • • • •

Who is involved? 53 54 5. Appendices

55 Appendix A. Members of the Dee Catchment Partnership

Aberdeen City Council* The Macaulay Institute * Scottish Natural Heritage * Strategic Leadership, Planning & Craigiebuckler 17 Rubislaw Terrace Infrastructure Aberdeen AB15 8QH Aberdeen AB10 1XE St. Nicholas House Tel: 01224 498200 Tel: 01224 642863 Broad Street Aberdeen AB10 1BW National Farmers Union Scotland Scottish Rural Property & Tel: 01224 523464 Head Office Business Association Rural Centre - West Mains Stuart House Aberdeen Harbour Board* Ingliston Eskmills Business Park 16 Regent Quay Midlothian EH28 8LT Musselburgh EH21 7PB Aberdeen AB11 5SS Tel: 0131 472 4000 Tel: 0131 653 5400 Tel: 01224 597000 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: info@aberdeen-harbour. co.uk Scottish Agricultural College Scottish Water Ferguson Building Kingshill House Aberdeenshire Council * Craibstone Estate Arnhall Business Park Woodhill House Aberdeen AB21 9TR Westhill Westburn Road Tel: 01224 711000 Aberdeen AB34 6UF Aberdeen AB165GB Tel: 0845 7437437 Tel: 08456 08 12 07 Scottish Enterprise Grampian * 27 Albyn Place 3-Dee Vision Project Cairngorms National Park Aberdeen AB10 1DB Contact: Linda Mathieson Authority * Tel: 01224 252000 Aberdeenshire Council 14 The Square Garioch Area Office Grantown on Spey Scottish Environment Protection Gordon House PH26 3HG Agency * Blackhall Road Tel: 01479 873535 Aberdeen Office Inverurie AB51 3WB Greyhope House Dee District Salmon Fishery Greyhope Road North East Area Advisory Group Board Torry Aberdeen Office 4 Mill of Dinnet Aberdeen AB11 9RD Greyhope House Dinnet Tel: 01224 248337 Greyhope Road Aboyne Torry Aberdeenshire AB34 5LA Scottish Government Rural Aberdeen AB11 9RD Tel: 013398 80411 Payments and Inspections Tel: 01224 248337 email: [email protected] Directorate Grampian Area Office Forestry Commission Scotland Thainstone Court Grampian Conservancy Inverurie Ordiquhill Aberdeenshire AB51 5YA Portsoy Road Tel: 01467 626222 Huntly email: sgrpid.inverurie@scotland. Aberdeenshire AB54 4SJ gsi.gov.uk Tel: 01466 794542 email: [email protected]@ forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Other organisations have been involved in various workshops and Working Groups during the development of the Dee Catchment Management Plan. These include:

Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan, Dee Salmon Fishery Improvement Association, East Cairngorms Access Project, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Fisheries Research Services, The MacRobert Trust*, Marr Area Partnership, Mountaineering Council Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, NE Local Biodiversity Action Plan, North East Mountain Trust, North East Native Woodlands, North East Scotland Flood Appraisal Group, Ramblers Association, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Visit Scotland Aberdeen and Grampian.

*funding partner

56 appendices Appendix B. Sources of information Aitkenhead, J.A., Hope. D. and Billet, M.F. 1999. The relationship between dissolved organic carbon in stream water and soil organic carbon pools at different spatial scales. Hydrological Processes. 13: 1289-1302.

Davidson, M.B., Owen, R.P., and Young, M.R. 1985. Invertebrates of the River Dee. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Fraser, 1921. G.M. Fraser, The Old Deeside Road. Aberdeen University Press, 1921.

Glentworth, R. and Muir. J.W. 1963. The Soils of the country round Aberdeen, Inverurie and Fraserburgh (Sheets 77, 76 and 87/97). Memoirs of the Soil Survey of Scotland. Edinburgh, HMSO.

Hay, D.W. 1995. The current status of salmon stocks in the River Dee. In Salmon in the Dee catchment: the scientific basis for management. Proceedings of a one day meeting. The Atlantic Salmon Trust.

Halley, D.J. and Lamberg, A. 2001. Populations of juvenile salmon and trout in relation to beaver damming of a spawning stream. pp122-127 in Czech, A. and Schwab, G. (Eds). The European beaver in a new millenium. Proceedings of the 2nd European beaver symposium, Bialowieza, Poland. Carpathian Heritage Society, Krakow.

Jenkins, D. and Bell, M.V. 1985. Vertebrates, except salmon and trout, associated with the river Dee. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Langan, S.J., Wade, A.J., Smart, R., Edwards, A.C., Soulsby, C., Billett, M.F., Jarvie, H.P., Cresser, M.S., Owen, R., and Ferrier, R.C. 1997. The prediction and management of water quality in a relatively unpolluted major Scottish catchment: current issues and experimental approaches. The Science of the total Environment. 194/195: 419-435.

Macdonald, D.W., Tattersall, F.H., Rushton, S., South, A.B., Rao, S., Maitland, P. and Strachan, R. (2000). Reintroducing the beaver (Castor fiber) to Scotland: a protocol for identifying and assessing suitable release sites. Animal Conservation 3, 125-133.

Maitland, P.S., 1985. The status of the River Dee in a national and international context. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Maizels, J.K. 1985. The physical background of the river Dee. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Parker, H. and Ø. Rønning. (2007). Low potential for restraint of anadromous salmonid reproduction by beaver Castor fiber in the Numedalslågen River catchment, Norway. River Research and Applications 23: 752-762.

Pollock, M.M., Pess, G.R., Beechie,.T.J. and Montgomery, D.R. 2004. The importance of beaver ponds to coho salmon production in the Stillaguamish river basin, Washington, USA. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24: 749-760.

SEPA, 1999. The River Dee catchment management plan issues consultation document.

SEPA, 2005. An economic analysis of water use in the Scotland river basin district. Summary report.

Smith, J.S. 1985. Land use within the catchment of the River Dee. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Warren, J.S. 1985. Hydrology of the River Dee and tributaries. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Warren, J.S. 1985. Hydrology of the River Dee and its tributaries. In The Biology and Management of the River Dee. Ed. D. Jenkins.

Webb, J.H. and McLay, H. 1996. Variation in the time of spawning of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and its relationship to temperature in the Aberdeenshire Dee, Scotland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 53: 2739-2744.

Webb, A.D. and Bacon P.J. 1999. Using GIS for catchment management and freshwater salmon fisheries in Scotland: the DeeCAMP project. Journal of environmental Management. 55:127-143.

Wade, A.J., Neal, C., Soulsby, C., Smart, R., Langan, S.J., Cresser, M.S. 1999. Modelling streamwater quality under varying hydrological conditions at different spatial scales. Journal of Hydrology. 217: 266-283.

appendices 57 Appendix C. Acronyms and abbreviations

AC Aberdeenshire Council

ACC Aberdeen City Council

AHB Aberdeen Harbour Board

ASFB Association of Salmon Fishery Boards

AU Aberdeen University

BMP Best Management Practice

BPEO Best Practicable Environmental Option

BOD Biological Oxygen Demand

CAP Common Agricultural Policy

CAR Controlled Activities Regulations

CASS Conservation of Atlantic Salmon in Scotland (LIFE-Nature project)

CNPA Cairngorms National Park Authority

COPA Control Of Pollution Act

CSO Combined Sewage Overflow

DCMP Dee Catchment Management Plan

DDSFB Dee District Salmon Fishery Board

DSFIA Dee Salmon Fishery Improvement Association

ECAP East Cairngorms Access Partnership

FCS Forestry Commission Scotland

FES Forest Enterprise Scotland

FRS Fisheries Research Services

FWAG Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group

GAEC Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition

GBR General Binding Rules

GCT Game Conservancy Trust

LA Local Authority

LBAP Local Biodiversity Action Plan

LEAF Linking Environment and Farming

LMC Land Management Contract

MC of S Mountaineering Council of Scotland

MDP Middle Dee Project

MI The Macaulay Institute

NEAAG North East Area Advisory Group

NELBAP North East Local Biodiversity Action Plan

NEMT North East Mountain Trust

NERPAC North East Regional Project Assessment Committee

NESBReC North East Scotland Biological Records Centre

NESFLAG North East Scotland Flood Liaison and Advice Group

58 appendices NFUS National Farmers’ Union Scotland

NNR National Nature Reserve

NTS National Trust for Scotland

NVZ Nitrate Vulnerable Zone

PEPFAA Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity

PPC Pollution Prevention and Control

PPG Pollution Prevention Guidelines

PWLO Police Wildlife Liaison Officer

RDT River Dee Trust

RFF Regional Forestry Forum

RGU Robert Gordons University

RRC River Restoration Centre

RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

RSS Rural Stewardship Scheme

SAC Special Area of Conservation

SCA Scottish Canoe Association

SEG Scottish Enterprise Grampian

SEPA Scottish Environment Protection Agency

SGRPID Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate

SFGS Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme

SNH Scottish Natural Heritage

SNW Scottish Native Woodlands

SOAC Scottish Outdoor Access Code

SPA Special Protection Area

SRPBA Scottish Rural Property and Business Association

SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest

SuDS Sustainable Drainage Systems

SW Scottish Water

SWT Scottish Wildlife Trust

T & CP Town and Country Planning Act

TCI Tarland Catchment Initiative

WEWS Water Environment and Water Services Act

WFD Water Framework Directive

WRZ Water Resource Zone

WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature

WWTW/P Waste Water Treatment Works/Plant

appendices 59 Appendix D. Glossary

Abstraction Drawing water out of a river or catchment for industrial or irrigation purposes (includes public water supply)

Acid rain Deposition of acid pollutants from the atmosphere in gaseous, particulate or dissolved form

Agri-environment Government-funded support mechanisms for sustainable agricultural activity with targeted scheme benefits for the environment (e.g. ESA and RSS)

Algal bloom An excessive growth of algae in a loch or reservoir which typically results from high nutrient concentrations

Algae Microscopic plants which occur naturally in both fresh and salt water. Blue-green algae are of particular concern as they can produce toxins

Aquaculture The captive rearing of fish for consumption or fishery enhancement

Bank stabilisation Prevention of river bank erosion by increasing the strength of the bank by natural materials or by engineering

Biodiversity The total range of the variety of life forms on earth or any given part of it, the ecological roles they perform, and the genetic diversity they contain

Buffer strip An area of vegetated land separating a watercourse (or body of water) from intensively managed land, normally established or managed to conserve or enhance water quality and which may also benefit habitat and species diversity

Catchment A discrete geographical unit within which all water drains to the same end-point or outflow. NB. Groundwater catchments do not necessarily coincide with surface water catchments

Catchment A process whereby all activities within a loch or river catchment are considered in relation to management their impact on each other and on the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater

Competent Under the Habitats Regulations, any Minister, government department, public or statutory authority undertaker, public body of any description, or person holding a public office

Croys Man-made structures, often in pairs, which are constructed in river channels to influence patterns of water flow and erosion

Diffuse pollution Sources of pollution having no clearly definable point of origin, e.g. derived from land-use practices

Ecosystem A community of interdependent organisms and the environment which they inhabit

Ecological status An expression of the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems associated with surface waters. Such waters are classified as being of good ecological status when they meet the requirements of the WFD.

Engineering Generally large-scale intervention in river channels, usually involving physical structures

Erosion The process by which sediments are mobilised and transported by rivers

Floodplain The floor of a strath or river valley which is inundated by water when a river floods

Freshet Compensatory release of water from dam or reservoir

Fry Young or newly hatched fish

General Permitted An Order, last consolidated in Scotland in 1992, under which the First Minister, in exercise Development of his powers conferred Order under planning legislation, grants planning permission for a number of classes of development subject to various stated qualifications

Glaciation Colder climatic period resulting in the extension of the polar ice caps and the formation of valley glaciers in mountain areas. The last glaciation to affect Scotland ended about 10,000 years ago

Groundwater Water contained in underground strata, which fills voids in soils and permeable geological formations Good status A general term meaning the status achieved by a surface water body when both the ecological status and its chemical status are at least good or, for groundwater, and when both its quantitative status and chemical status are at least good.

60 appendices Groyne A structure built to counter lateral bankside erosion

Heavily modified Changed substantially in character as a result of physical alterations by human activity

Indicative Forestry A strategy, prepared and incorporated within a Structure Plan, which seeks to accommodate Strategy future commercial forest planting in an environmentally acceptable way, by identifying preferred, potential and sensitive areas for forestry

Indigenous Of a plant or animal, originating naturally in a region

Lamprey Primitive, eel-like fish lacking a lower jaw and with a sucker-like disc around its mouth

Local Plan Prepared and adopted by planning authorities according to statute, expressing specific policy guidance and advice for development in each locality, in conformity with the Structure Plan

Nutrients Chemical substances required for growth by organisms (including plants, crops and algae), e.g. phosphorus and nitrogen

Nutrient Balancing the added nutrient (e.g. fertilisers, manure) inputs onto land with the crop or budgeting livestock outputs to avoid surpluses leaching or being washed into the environment

Over-grazing Condition where livestock (wild and domestic) numbers are high, resulting in reduced vegetation cover and increasing susceptibility of soils to erosion

Parr Young salmon with blue/grey finger-like markings on its sides, younger than a smolt

Phosphorus A nutrient essential in the life cycle of all living organisms, present in all animal and vegetable matter

Point source Pollution which is traceable to a specific source with a clearly identifiable point of pollution origin. Usually from a pipe or other well defined outfall, often associated with the built environment

Potable water Water of suitable quality for drinking

Q95 The flow in a river that is exceeded for 95% of the time (i.e. the lower flows or dry weather flows)

Riparian Pertaining to land bordering a river or burn

Run-off Rainwater draining from an area of land capable of transporting nutrients, fertilisers, sediment etc

Sediments The unconsolidated (loose) material transported by a river, a mixture of particles ranging from fine sediments, usually less than 2mm in diameter (sands, silts and clays), to coarser sediments like pebbles, stones and boulders

Septic tank Tank receiving and treating sewage by bacteria where effluent overflows

Smolt Fully silvered juvenile salmon migrating, or about to migrate, to the sea

Spring fish Salmon which return to fresh water in the early part of the year (usually before 1 May)

Stocking (of fish) The introduction of captive-reared fish into an area to supplement or replace other fish

Surface waters Rivers, lochs, estuaries and coastal waters

Sustainable Contemporary use and management of a resource that does not compromise its management and use in the future

Tributary A smaller burn or stream flowing into a larger river channel

appendices 61 62 appendices Appendix E. Water bodies in the Dee catchment ‘at’ (1a) and ‘probably at’ (1b) ‘significant risk’ of failing to achieve ‘good ecological status’ by 2015

Appendix E. Water bodies in the Dee catchment ‘definitely at risk’ (1a) and ‘probably at risk’ (1b) of failing to achieve ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 Name body Water Category Modified Risk Category Pressure Description Industry Sector Description Activity Purpose Primary Pressure

Morphological Alterations Land Reclamation Y Diffuse Source Pollution Sea and coastal water transport N Dee Estuary Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N (Aberdeen Transitional Y 1a Harbour) Dredging - resulting in removal of Morphological Alterations N sediment Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities Y Urban Diffuse Source Pollution N Development Den Burn River Y 1a Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities Y Urban Morphological Alterations Culverting - culvert / passable Y Development River Dee - Abstraction Collection, purification and distribution of water Y Peterculter to River N 1b tidal limit Morphological Alterations Construction / Structures - unspecified N River Dee - Banchory to River N 1a Morphological Alterations Recreational, cultural and sporting activities Reinforcement - Unspecified Y Peterculter Abstraction Collection, purification and distribution of water Y River Dee - Reinforcement - other (carpets, tyres Morphological Alterations Forestry, logging and related service activities N Ballater to River N 1b etc) Banchory Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations Fishing N addition or removal Morphological Alterations Impounding - unspecified Y Crynoch Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam N Culter Burn River N 1b Channelisation/ realignment/ Urban Morphological Alterations N straightening - straightening Development

Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Gormack Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam Y Diffuse Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution Y animals (mixed farming) Leuchar Burn River N 1a Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations N animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam N Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations N animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Point Source Pollution Refuse disposal activities Y Brodiach Burn / River N 1a Urban Ord Burn Diffuse Source Pollution N Development Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Diffuse Source Pollution Farming of animals N Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution Y animals (mixed farming) Loch of Skene Lake N 1a Recreational, cultural and sporting activities (wild Diffuse Source Pollution N birds) Morphological Alterations Recreational, cultural and sporting activities Impounding - sluice N Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities Y Sheeoch Burn River N 1b Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations N addition or removal Flow Regulation Impounding - unspecified Y Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations Y Bo Burn River N 1b animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Appendix E. Water bodies in the Dee catchment ‘definitely at risk’ (1a) and ‘probably at risk’ (1b) of failing to achieve ‘good ecological status’ by 2015 Name body Water Category Modified Risk Category Pressure Description Industry Sector Description Activity Purpose Primary Pressure

Morphological Alterations Land Reclamation Y Diffuse Source Pollution Sea and coastal water transport N Dee Estuary Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N (Aberdeen Transitional Y 1a Harbour) Dredging - resulting in removal of Morphological Alterations N sediment Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities Y Urban Diffuse Source Pollution N Development Den Burn River Y 1a Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities Y Urban Morphological Alterations Culverting - culvert / passable Y Development River Dee - Abstraction Collection, purification and distribution of water Y Peterculter to River N 1b tidal limit Morphological Alterations Construction / Structures - unspecified N River Dee - Banchory to River N 1a Morphological Alterations Recreational, cultural and sporting activities Reinforcement - Unspecified Y Peterculter Abstraction Collection, purification and distribution of water Y River Dee - Reinforcement - other (carpets, tyres Morphological Alterations Forestry, logging and related service activities N Ballater to River N 1b etc) Banchory Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations Fishing N addition or removal Morphological Alterations Impounding - unspecified Y Crynoch Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam N Culter Burn River N 1b Channelisation/ realignment/ Urban Morphological Alterations N straightening - straightening Development

Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Gormack Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam Y Diffuse Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution Y animals (mixed farming) Leuchar Burn River N 1a Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations N animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Morphological Alterations Impounding - weir / dam N Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations N animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Point Source Pollution Refuse disposal activities Y Brodiach Burn / River N 1a Urban Ord Burn Diffuse Source Pollution N Development Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Diffuse Source Pollution Farming of animals N Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities N Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution Y animals (mixed farming) Loch of Skene Lake N 1a Recreational, cultural and sporting activities (wild Diffuse Source Pollution N birds) Morphological Alterations Recreational, cultural and sporting activities Impounding - sluice N Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities Y Sheeoch Burn River N 1b Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations N addition or removal Flow Regulation Impounding - unspecified Y Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ appendices Morphological Alterations Y Bo Burn River N 1b animals (mixed farming) straightening - straightening Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) 63

appendices 64 Appendix E. WaterAppendix catchment intheDee ‘at’ (1b) ‘significant bodies ‘probably at’ (1a)and risk’ of failing to achieve ecological ‘good status’ by 2015 Burn ofCorrichie Burn lower catchment Water - ofDye Beltie Burn Beltie upper catchment Water - ofDye Lumphanan Burn / Burn Dess ofCattieBurn upper stretch - Burn Dess Water of Tanar Tarland Burn Davan Burn Loch Davan Logie / Burn an Dubh Lochan Dubh -AlltRiver Muick Loch Muick Gelder Burn Gelder Ey Burn Name River River River River River River River River River River River River Lake River River Water body Category N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N Modified 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1b 1a 1a 1a 1a 1a Risk Category Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Abstraction Flow Regulation AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological Point Source Pollution Morphological AlterationsMorphological Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological Morphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological AlterationsMorphological SourceDiffuse Pollution AlterationsMorphological Morphological AlterationsMorphological Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Diffuse SourceDiffuse Pollution Pressure Description Forestry, logging andrelated activities service Forestry, logging andrelated activities service Forestry, logging andrelated activities service animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming of purificationanddistribution waterCollection, of purificationanddistribution waterCollection, of purificationanddistribution waterCollection, Forestry, logging andrelated activities service animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming landtransport Other animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming disposalactivities Sewage animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of with farming animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming Forestry, logging andrelated activities service animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming animals (mixed farming) Growing ofcrops combined of withfarming Farming ofanimals Farming ofanimals Electricity, and Gas Water Supply(acidification) Electricity, and Gas Water Supply(acidification) Electricity, and Gas Water Supply(acidification) Electricity, and Gas Water Supply(acidification) Industry Sector Description Impounding -weirImpounding /dam -weirImpounding /dam the bank Intensive use-cultivating /planting to Reinforcement -concrete addition orremoval Substrate manipulation /gravel /Structures-unspecified Construction straightening -unspecified Channelisation/ realignment/ Dredging -unspecified straightening -channelisation Channelisation/ realignment/ straightening -unspecified Channelisation/ realignment/ addition orremoval Substrate manipulation /gravel etc) Reinforcement -other (carpets, tyres straightening -unspecified Channelisation/ realignment/ addition orremoval Substrate manipulation /gravel Dredging -unspecified -bank Resectioning Intensive use-poaching Dredging -unspecified Activity Flood defence Development Urban Purpose N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Primary Pressure Name body Water Category Modified Risk Category Pressure Description Industry Sector Description Activity Purpose Primary Pressure

Morphological Alterations Forestry, logging and related service activities Y Burn of Corrichie River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N Water of Dye - River N 1b Intensive use - cultivating / planting to lower catchment Morphological Alterations Forestry, logging and related service activities Y the bank Morphological Alterations Collection, purification and distribution of water Impounding - weir / dam Y Water of Dye - River N 1a Flow Regulation Collection, purification and distribution of water Impounding - weir / dam Y upper catchment Abstraction Collection, purification and distribution of water N Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Point Source Pollution Sewage disposal activities Y Beltie Burn River N 1a Morphological Alterations Dredging - unspecified N Morphological Alterations Flood defence N Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations N animals (mixed farming) straightening - unspecified Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Growing of crops combined with farming of Burn of Cattie River N 1a Morphological Alterations Construction / Structures - unspecified Y animals (mixed farming) Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations N addition or removal Morphological Alterations Other land transport Reinforcement - concrete N Growing of crops combined with farming of Dess Burn / Diffuse Source Pollution N River N 1b animals (mixed farming) Lumphanan Burn Channelisation/ realignment/ Morphological Alterations Y straightening - channelisation

Dess Burn - Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ River N 1b Morphological Alterations Y upper stretch animals (mixed farming) straightening - unspecified Growing of crops combined with farming of Diffuse Source Pollution N animals (mixed farming) Growing of crops combined with farming of Channelisation/ realignment/ Tarland Burn River N 1a Morphological Alterations Y animals (mixed farming) straightening - unspecified Reinforcement - other (carpets, tyres Urban Morphological Alterations N etc) Development Substrate manipulation / gravel Water of Tanar River N 1b Morphological Alterations Y addition or removal Morphological Alterations Farming of animals Intensive use - poaching N Davan Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Farming of animals N Morphological Alterations Dredging - unspecified N Growing of crops combined with farming of Morphological Alterations Resectioning - bank N animals (mixed farming) Morphological Alterations Dredging - unspecified N Logie Burn / Growing of crops combined with farming of River N 1a Diffuse Source Pollution Y Loch Davan animals (mixed farming) Substrate manipulation / gravel Morphological Alterations N addition or removal Diffuse Source Pollution Forestry, logging and related service activities N River Muick - Allt River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (acidification) Y an Dubh Loch

Loch Muick Lake N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (acidification) Y

Gelder Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (acidification) Y Ey Burn River N 1b Diffuse Source Pollution Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (acidification) Y

• Only the baseline water bodies (those above the WFD reporting threshold) are listed i.e. watercourses with a catchment greater than 10km2 and lochs with an area of greater than 0.5km2. • Not every pressure has an industry sector associated with it (there may be multiple industries involved such as in an industrial estate or urban area, or the industry sector may not be known). This is most appendices common in the case of morphological alterations. In this instance the pressure will tend to have either an ‘activity’ or ‘purpose’ associated with it instead. • The final column lists whether the pressure is primary or not. A primary pressure is one that is thought could be responsible, alone, for causing the water body to fail WFD objectives. Other pressures are contributory pressures – they are still significant but would not be expected, alone, to cause the water body to fail. A number of contributory pressures however (even without any primary pressures) acting together could cause a water body to fail. • This is the risk status of water bodies in the Dee catchment at present (October 2007). The risk status of water bodies is being reviewed on an ongoing basis as more information becomes available; to ensure that work to address pressures is prioritised appropriately. 65 Appendix F. Maps

Map 1. Area covered by the North East Area Advisory Group (NEAAG)...... 67 Map 2. River Basin Districts in Scotland...... 68

Map 3. location of the River Dee catchment...... 69 Map 4. Dee catchment topography...... 70

Map 5. Water bodies in the Dee catchment...... 71

Map 6. land cover in the Dee catchment...... 72

Map 7. Riparian land cover in the Dee catchment within 100m of watercourses...... 73

Map 8. Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray Nitrate Vulnerable Zone...... 74

66 appendices Map 1. Area covered by the North East Area Advisory Group (NEAAG)

appendices 67 Map 2. River Basin Districts in Scotland

68 appendices Map 3. Location of the River Dee catchment (pale green area)

appendices 69 Map 4. Dee catchment topography

70 appendices Map 5. Water bodies in the Dee catchment

appendices 71 Map 6. Land cover in the Dee catchment

72 appendices Map 7. Riparian land cover in the Dee catchment (within 100m of watercourses)

appendices 73 Map 8. Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray Nitrate Vulnerable Zone

74 appendices 75 Images and illustrations Front cover Glas Allt waterfall (©S.Cooksley) Front cover Glen Muick (©S. Cooksley) Front cover Polytrichum commune (©S. Cooksley) Front cover Midmar cows (©S. Cooksley) Front cover Common frog (©S. Cooksley)) 5 Major General John Barr (©S. Cooksley)) 6 & 7 Polytrichum commune (©S. Cooksley) 8 Otters (©SNH) 9 NE Scotland Advisory Group Area Map (©SEPA) 10 River Basin Districs in Scotland (©SEPA) 12 Rushing water (©S. Cooksley) 14&15 Loch Muick (©S. Cooksley) 16 Aberdeen harbour (©AHB) 17 Dee catchment - location (©MI/MI/N. Baggaley) 17 Dee catchment - topography (©MI/N. Baggaley) 17 Dee catchment - main tributaries (©MI/N. Baggaley) 18 Loch Callater (©S. Cooksley) 19 Dee catchment - land cover (©MI/N. Baggaley) 19 Dee catchment - riparian land cover (©MI/N. Baggaley) 19 Aberdeenshire, Banff Buchan and Moray NVZ (©Scottish Government) 20 Cattle (©S. Cooksley) 21 Canoeists (©S. Langan) 22 Atlantic salmon (©3 Dee Vision) 23 Glen Gairn forest (©S. Cooksley) 25 Common frog (©S. Cooksley) 25 Water vole (©J. Urquhart) 27 Lochnagar (©S. Cooksley) 27 River Dee (©DDSFB) 27 Glen Callater (©ECAP) 28 & 29 Glen Muick (©S. Cooksley) 31 Buffer strip (©S. Langan) 32 Aboyne flood (©S. Langan) 33 Bank reinforcement works (©AC) 34 Craggan pool (©DDSFB) 35 Retrofit fish pass (©AC) 36 Freshwater pearl mussel (©S. Cooksley) 37 Canoeists (©S. Langan) 38 Loch of Skene (©S. Cooksley) 39 Tarlan landscape (©S. Cooksley) 42 & 43 Wet flush (©S. Cooksley) 44 School river walk (©DDSFB) 46 Glen Gairn sheep (©S. Cooksley) 47 Fisherman (©DDSFB) 48 Garlogie dam (©DDSFB) 49 Lochnagar distillery sign (©S. Cooksley) 50 Flooding (©S. Langan) 51 Walkers (©ECAP) 52 Aberdeen harbour (©AHB) 52 Aberdeen seafront panorama (©AHB) 54 &55 Gairn bridge (©S. Cooksley) 67 NE Scotland Advisory Group Area Map (©SEPA) 68 River Basin Districs in Scotland (©SEPA) 69 Dee catchment - location (©MI/N. Baggaley) 70 Dee catchment - topography (©MI/N. Baggaley) 71 Dee catchment - main tributaries (©MI/N. Baggaley) 72 Dee catchment - and cover (©MI/N. Baggaley) 73 Dee catchment - riparian land cover (©MI/N. Baggaley) 74 Aberdeenshire, Banff Buchan and Moray NVZ (©Scottish Government)

Images must not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder.

76 Water quality 1. Improve water quality in rural areas by making planned reductions in diffuse agricultural pollution. 2. Ensure agricultural pesticides and sheep dip are stored, used and disposed of in accordance with regulations. 3. Encourage and promote good environmental practice for woodland expansion and management in order to protect and enhance water quality and biodiversity. 4. Promote best management practice for dealing with road and access track drainage. 5. Manage surface water drainage sustainably, taking account of water quality, habitat and flood risk. 6. Ensure existing foul and surface water drainage infrastructures are satisfactory and those serving new developments are planned sustainably. 7. Improve effluent quality from private sewage treatment systems to ensure compliance with the requirements of the SAC interests. 8. Control the storage and application of organic fertilisers to avoid direct and indirect water pollution. 9. Control operational agricultural waste landfill sites to avoid pollution of watercourses. 10. Limit the environmental impact of existing and closed landfill sites. Identify and remediate Contaminated Land. 11. Improve water quality in Aberdeen’s heavily modified urban watercourses. 12. Ensure good bathing water quality at Aberdeen beach. 13. Reduce the impact of activities linked to Aberdeen harbour on water quality. Water resources 14. Regulate abstraction to prevent harm to SAC interests and ecological status, especially during low flow periods. 15. Manage the land so as to attenuate rates of runoff (thereby reducing the severity of floods and droughts). 16. Coordinate management of flood alleviation schemes across the catchment. Seek to prevent new flooding problems. development and engineering works 17. Promote environmentally sustainable engineering works to the river channel and banks in order to maintain SAC interests and the biodiversity of the river. 18. Remove or redesign man-made obstacles in order to facilitate fish passage. 19. Ensure that changes of land use do not impact adversely on riverine habitats and species. Habitats 20. Encourage re-creation of lost lowland wetland habitats. 21. Encourage re-creation of lost upland wetland habitats. 22. Reinstate the functionality of active floodplains. 23. Support the restoration of degraded areas of wet and riparian woodland and encourage their expansion through planting or regeneration on appropriate sites. 24. Identify species-rich bankside grasslands and promote positive management to maintain their diversity. 25. Manage the habitat of urban watercourses sustainably. Species 26. Conserve and enhance the population, distribution and range of genetic sub-populations of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar across the naturally accessible parts of the catchment. 27. Implement measures to achieve agreed targets for the Dee freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera population. 28. Maintain the population and current distribution of otter Lutra lutra throughout the river catchment. 29. Control invasive non native plant species such as giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and water crowfoot. 30. Control American mink in the Dee catchment. 31. Manage fishing ponds sustainably. 32. Establish and implement a programme for monitoring and reporting the status of all fish species in the Dee. access and Recreation 33. Ensure the catchment’s water environment is protected from the impacts of recreational activity. sub catchment management 34. Improve water and habitat quality in the Tarland burn. 35. Improve water and habitat quality in Loch Davan. 36. Improve the water quality of the Loch of Skene. 37. Improve the water and habitat quality of the Elrick burn.