Dam good news on the river Deveron

Wild salmon have regained access to over 11km of prime spawning habitat on the River Deveron, for the first time in more than 150 years, thanks to the removal of the ageing Mill of Eden weir on the King Edward tributary.

The project, part of Project Deveron’s catchment‑scale salmon recovery initiative, has restored free passage for salmon, trout and eels through a channel that had become almost completely blocked by silt over decades.

The Deveron, Bogie & Isla Rivers Charitable Trust carried out the work in partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST) and with support from distiller Chivas Brothers’ River Within programme. Together, they dismantled the overgrown barrier, which had been hindering fish migration since the 1870s.

River Deveron restored with a resilient, nature‑based approach

The recovery work went beyond simply removing the weir. The team re‑naturalised the riverbank using boulders and naturally wind‑blown trees, and introduced woody structures downstream to re‑start natural river processes. New tree planting will also help cool the water by providing essential shade.

Mark Bilsby, chief of the Atlantic Salmon Trust, said:

“Not only will this work help endangered wild salmon, but a reconnected environment is a more resilient and adaptable one for wildlife and people. This is a nature‑based solution in action, showing how working to help wild salmon also helps tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.”

This milestone is a strong example of how restoring natural habitats can deliver benefits for wildlife, ecosystems and communities alike.