Protecting salmon in the River Nith

Protecting the River Nith and the wider local environment is an important part of delivering the Whitesands Project responsibly.

Environmental monitoring is taking place throughout construction, covering areas including water quality, noise, vibration and dust.

We recognise that people may have concerns about how construction activity could affect wildlife in the River Nith, particularly salmon.

Environmental assessments carried out for the project indicate that significant effects on salmon are unlikely. Piling works are being carried out set back from the river rather than within the river channel, and surveys found no salmon spawning areas upstream of the caul that could be affected by the works.

Reducing the impact of piling

Additional measures are being used to reduce the potential impact on fish.

A slow-start approach is used when piling begins. This means vibration levels increase gradually, giving fish an opportunity to move away from the area.

Piling will also mainly take place during the day. Salmon movement, particularly for young salmon, can be greater during the hours of darkness.

These measures, together with the ongoing environmental monitoring, form part of the project's approach to protecting the River Nith while construction is underway.

Based on the assessments carried out for the project and the mitigation measures in place, the construction works are considered unlikely to have a significant adverse effect on salmon populations in the River Nith.