Fish highway

[blackprince]

This news story caught my eye
"In Yorkshire, the Environment Agency has worked with partners and made significant additions to Yorkshire's 'fish highways' - removing 2 weirs on the River Don in Sheffield and a weir on the River Aire in Leeds. Both rivers are now returning to a natural series of shallow, fast sections separated by deeper pools - which provide a better habitat for the coarse fish, grayling and brown trout that live there and for the invertebrates that they feed on."

Can anyone add a few more details to this story as it affects the river Aire in Leeds? Where is the weir they are removing or has it already been removed? It sounds as though the appearance of the river will be ( or has been) transformed in the affected stretch.

[tyke bhoy]

Couldn't say for sure but the only weir I can really think of is just after Crown Point Bridge adjacent to the Armouries. There has been a lot of work going on there with a crane on the river bank. As my observations are from a 110 or very occasionally car I can't say what's going on.

[tilly]

Hi all i think i am right in saying that fish passes are being put in place to let salmon back up the river Aire .Salmon have been seen in the river at Knostrop this is sign just how good the water has become the hope is to get them to spawn up in the dales wow. I never thought i would see the day when this would happen the monks at Kirkstall used to catch salmon in the river.When i was a lad if you fell in it was a trip to hospital for a check up.

[Leodian]

It has been a few years since I was last in the Armouries area below Crown Point Bridge so I went there on April 20 2016 and found that the area has changed a lot since then (the marina was totally new to me!). When I was in the area I noticed that there was work going on by the river but I was not able to get a good view so the first photo only gives an impression of what is going on. The second is just for fun in showing rubbish collecting. OK, it's probably not the kind of image to post on Secret Leeds but it's little photographed things like that which I find interesting so I hope it is welcome!

Work going on at the River Aire a little below Crown Point Bridge (taken April 20 2016).

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Rubbish collecting on the River Aire a little below Crown Point Bridge (taken April 20 2016).

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[sparky415]

The weir they removed was above the 'horsforth' sewage works. To be fair it was a complete waste of time and money as the weir was already broken up and proved no barrier for migratory fish.

[blackprince]

The weir they removed was above the 'horsforth' sewage works. To be fair it was a complete waste of time and money as the weir was already broken up and proved no barrier for migratory fish.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
BP

[sparky415]

Fish passes have been added to the weirs at kirkstall, though not the Abbey one yet. It is a massive undertaking and one which must have cost a small fortune. Let's hope thaT theres going to be a few salmon running...