Loch Errochty | |
---|---|
Location | Perth and Kinross, Scotland |
Coordinates | 56°45′40″N4°8′40″W / 56.76111°N 4.14444°W |
Type | freshwater loch, reservoir |
Basin countries | United Kingdom |
Max. length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
Max. width | 1 km (0.62 mi) |
Surface area | 3.03 km2 (1.17 sq mi) |
Surface elevation | 330 m (1,080 ft) |
Loch Errochty is a man made freshwater loch situated within the Perth and Kinross council area at the edge of the Scottish Highlands near the Highland Boundary Fault where the topography changes to lowland.
The Errochty dam lies at the head of Glen Errochty, two km NW of the hamlet of Trinafour at the approximate grid reference of NN689654 . The loch has an area of 303 hectares [1] and is 5 km long and a kilometre across at its widest point. The loch is entirely man made, being created by the damming of the Errochty Water, the river which runs down the glen. The dam was constructed in 1957 by the contractors A. & M. Carmichael Ltd as part of phase two of the Tummel hydro-electric power scheme. The loch stands at 330 metres above sea level. The dam itself is an example of a diamond-headed buttress dam, it is 49 metres high and 354 metres across. The diamond-headed buttresses provide extra strength to deal with possible tremors from the Highland Boundary Fault which runs just to the south of Pitlochry. [2] Water from Loch Errochty is diverted through a 10 km long tunnel to the Errochty hydroelectricity power station at the western end of Loch Tummel. The gatehouse for the tunnel at Loch Errochty is near the southern shore, the actual intake is beneath it at the bottom of the loch. The power station has a maximum output of 75 MW and is the largest power producer of the nine main stations in the Tummel scheme. Water is released from the dam to compensate the flow of the Errochty Water, this compensation water flows down a pipeline for 1.5 km to the very small 500 kW [3] hydro power station at Trinafour before being released into the Errochty Water. [4]
Loch Errochty's main feeder streams are the Allt Sléibh and the Allt Ruighe nan Saorach which both rise in the high ground to the west of the head of the loch. Other small streams flow directly off the 892-metre-high (2,927 ft) mountain of Beinn a' Chuallaich which stands just to the south. Supplementary water is diverted into the loch from the east by the Errochty catchwater, a system of tunnels and surface pipelines at a height of approximately 380 metres which redirects water from five small tributary streams of the River Garry, and the Garry itself. The catchwater then goes through a tunnel in the hill which separates the Garry and Errochty valleys to join the loch. This method of re-directing water allows it to be used more often to generate electricity. Some of the water within the Tummel scheme passes through five of the power stations and thus generates electricity five times. [5] [6]
The north shore of the loch has a narrow surfaced road which is not open to general traffic, there being a locked gate at Trinafour to prevent access. The south side of the loch has extensive woodlands in the area around the dam wall. A track goes through the woodland from Trinafour and then continues in open country along the south shore until it reaches the ruin of Ruighe nan Saorach. Recreational fishing is popular on the loch with some large specimens of Pike and Perch being present. There are no salmon in the loch as a fish ladder has not been provided to allow the passage of migrating fish past the dam. Permits to fish are required from the Auchleeks estate. [7]
The southern shore of the loch has numerous remains of old buildings. This is believed to be the remnants of old sheep farms which were in the valley before it was flooded. The remains include old farmsteads, shielings and sheep pens, some with walls 30 cm (12 ins) high. Many more of the remains are now believed to be under water. [8]
The dam and some interior tunnels were used for location filming in episode 705 of the television series "Outlander_(TV_series)".
Loch Rannoch is a freshwater loch in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is over 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long in a west–east direction with an average width of about 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi), and is deepest at its eastern end, reaching a depth of 130 metres (440 ft). The River Tummel begins at its eastern end, where the small village of Kinloch Rannoch can be found, whilst the wild expanse of Rannoch Moor extends to the west of the loch. The area surrounding Loch Rannoch, along with Rannoch Moor itself, was formerly part of the native Caledonian Forest that stretched across much of Northern Scotland. Native forest is now largely absent from much of the area, due partly to logging, and partly to the climate becoming wetter, and Loch Rannoch is now largely surrounded by commercial forestry and open hillsides, although a small area remains at the Black Wood of Rannoch on the southern shore of the loch.
The River Tummel is a river in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Water from the Tummel is used in the Tummel hydro-electric power scheme, operated by SSE.
Loch Faskally is a man-made reservoir in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) northwest of Pitlochry.
Loch Tummel is a long, narrow loch, seven kilometres northwest of Pitlochry in the council area of Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is fed and drained by the River Tummel, which flows into the River Tay about 13 km (8 mi) south-east of the Clunie Dam at the loch's eastern end.
The River Shin is a river in the Scottish North West Highlands.
The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board (1943–1990) was founded to design, construct and manage hydroelectricity projects in the Highlands of Scotland. It is regarded as one of the major achievements of Scottish politician Thomas Johnston, who chaired the board from 1945 to 1959.
The River Conon is a river in the Highlands of Scotland. It begins at Loch Luichart, and flows in a south-easterly direction to be joined by the River Meig at Scatwell before passing through Loch Achonachie. It is joined by the Black Water at Moy Bridge, and the River Orrin at Urray, before flowing past Conon Bridge and into the Cromarty Firth.
Gairich, sometimes Sgurr Gairoch, is a mountain in Lochaber in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. It is on the southern side of Loch Quoich, with Glen Garry to the east and Glen Kingie to the south, 25 kilometres north-northwest of Fort William.
The Tummel hydro-electric power scheme is an interconnected network of dams, power stations, aqueducts and electric power transmission in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. Roughly bounded by Dalwhinnie in the north, Rannoch Moor in the west and Pitlochry in the east it comprises a water catchment area of around 1,800 square kilometres and primary water storage at Loch Ericht, Loch Errochty, Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, in Perth and Kinross. Water, depending on where it originates and the path it takes, may pass through as many as five of the schemes nine power stations as it progresses from north-west to south-east. The scheme was constructed in the 1940s and 50s incorporating some earlier sites. It is managed by SSE plc.
The Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme for the generation of hydro-electric power is located in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is based around Glen Strathfarrar, Glen Cannich and Glen Affric, and Strathglass further downstream.
Dunalastair Water is an entirely man made reservoir in Scotland which lies between Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel in Strath Tummel in Perth and Kinross council area. The loch provides water power for the Tummel hydroelectricity power station and has the reputation as one of the best wild trout fishing locations in the United Kingdom.
Beinn a' Chuallaich is a Scottish hill, four kilometres northeast of the village of Kinloch Rannoch in the Perth and Kinross council area. It is part of the high ground between Strath Tummel and Glen Errochty.
The Glendoe Hydro Scheme for the generation of hydro-electric power is located near Fort Augustus, above Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland.
The River Garry in Inverness-shire is a Scottish river punctuated by two long Lochs, in the region of Lochaber. It flows broadly west to east through Glen Garry, starting in a wilderness to the east of Knoydart and ending at Loch Oich in the Great Glen, which forms part of the Caledonian Canal. There are a few tiny settlements within Glen Garry, but the only village of any size near to the river is Invergarry, at its mouth. Loch Quoich at the western end of the watercourse is dammed by the largest mass earth fill dam in Scotland, and supplies water to Quoich hydroelectric power station. Loch Garry is dammed by a much smaller dam in the gorge where the river begins its descent to Invergarry, and supplies water to Invergarry hydroelectric power station, close to the mouth of the river. Both hydroelectric schemes were built in the 1950s, with the aim of stimulating economic regeneration in the area. They have altered the ecology of the river, as both lochs were made considerably bigger as a result of constructing the dams.
The Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydro-electric facility situated between Loch Sloy and Inveruglas on the west bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland.
The River Moriston is a river in Inverness-shire, Scotland. It flows broadly east-north-east from the outfall of the dam at Loch Cluanie to Loch Ness. Its waters and those of its tributaries have been harnessed to generate hydro-electric power.
The Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydroelectric scheme in the Breadalbane area of Perthshire, Scotland. It comprises seven power stations which generate 120MW of power from the dams around Loch Lyon, Loch Earn and Loch Tay.
Loch Eigheach is a large upland dammed freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It is located in Rannoch Moor in the Council Area of Perth and Kinross. The undisturbed Loch Eigheach was much smaller.
The Shira Hydro-Electric Scheme is a project initiated by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to use the waters of the River Shira, the River Fyne and other small streams to generate hydroelectricity. It is located between Loch Fyne and Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It consists of three power stations and three impounding dams.
The Awe Hydro-Electric Scheme was the penultimate scheme developed by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. It centres around Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, on the southern edge of the Scottish Highlands. It consists of three power stations, two conventional hydro-electric stations, and the Cruachan power station, the first large pumped storage scheme built by the Board. It was completed in 1965.