THE SCOTTISH Environment Protection Agency unveiled its river basin plan of action for Argyll and Bute at the Victorian Hall, Campbeltown last week.
The aim is to ensure water quality ‘from source to sea’ and the legislation is part of a Europe-wide directive and applied to all rivers which drain to a catchment area greater than 10km2 and all lochs bigger than 0.5km2; all coastal waters to three nautical miles out to sea and estuaries, groundwater and wetlands.
Julia MacPherson, the SEPA river basin planning coordinator for Argyll, said: ‘The whole plan is for Scotland and there will be different geographic chapters, we are involved in the Argyll chapter.’
The report deals with environmental, social and economic issues.
Watercourses and lochs are judged in four categories: at risk, probably at risk, probably good and good.
On the 384 water bodies in Argyll, which will be subject to the report, 73 are considered at various stages of risk.
Kintyre is not considered to be an area with a great deal of problems.
The Glenlussa water system is listed because of the amount of water taken out by the hydro schemes; The Backs and Chiscan Water for the affects of agriculture and the Barr water because of water extraction. Carradale Water is monitored because of forestry planting and Campbeltown Loch because of the sewage problems.
Over on Islay waters around Port Ellen are listed because of discharges from distilleries.
SEPA representatives met with farmers in the afternoon and held two presentations in the late afternoon and early evening for the public.
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