CONCERNS have been raised that a weir, close to the mouth of Newcastle’s Shimna River, is on the verge of collapse. The issue was expected to be discussed at length during Shimna Angling Club’s AGM when members met last night (Tuesday). Within the last fortnight, this weir – located just below Castle Bridge and which is a visible barrier constructed across the river to control the water level slightly on the upstream side – has been undermined due to the power of the watercourse.
With local anglers worried that the weir may breach, and with the situation visibly deteriorating further, various official bodies have been contacted in a bid to ascertain who has responsibility for the structure and its repairs, but to no avail. According to club chairman Ed Kilgore MBE, one government department even went as far as suggesting they are considering a broader removal of river barriers; raising the club’s concerns that a second weir, slightly further upstream, could be removed, leading to the river’s water levels dropping even further.
Mr Kilgore also revealed that 21 local councillors have been e-mailed by the angling club – with three offering to help. He said four others have read the e-mail but not responded whilst the remainder have not read the message. With no-one seemingly able to take ownership or responsibility for the weakened structure, the anglers worry that if it is not repaired the boating pond at Castle Bridge and the town’s library “will become a trickle at low water” leading to odours emanating from the exposed mud. Mr Kilgore said now is the time to act, adding that should the water level drop, there will be “the loss of a visual amenity in the centre of the town”, and one which adds to Newcastle’s appeal, with the pedalo swans for hire during the tourist season.
In terms of the river environment, in the section that flows through the town and before it enters the Irish Sea, Mr Kilgore warned that the drop in water levels is linked to the loss of fishing and the damage to the river’s insect life. Passage for ascending and descending Sea Trout and Salmon will also be affected, he said. He also pointed out that the river rises on the slopes of Ott Mountain in the Mournes and makes its way downward before entering the Irish Sea via Dundrum Bay. “The river is dropping at least 450cm, that’s 18 inches in real language, at each low tide below what it was before,” the club official explained. “This damage to the weir will put a strain on the dyke at the boating pond, which was opened in 1934 and which could also fail with a large expanse of mud being exposed. Again this will smell during low tides during hot weather and be a loss of a council tourist attraction. “The river is an index river for monitoring Salmon and Sea Trout. It also is an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI), which was established with the weir in place – so losing it will change the dynamic of the riverbed.”
According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ website, Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) are protected sites that ‘represent the best of our wildlife and geological sites that make a considerable contribution to the conservation of our most valuable natural places’. Mr Kilgore explained that the river contains some important wildlife and vegetation, and the diverse wildlife includes otters plus birds such as Kingfishers and dippers, to name but a few. It also has some special vegetation, including the rare Holt’s mouse-tail moss for which there are only two other records for Northern Ireland, whilst at the junction of the Shimna and Trassey rivers, Portuguese feather-moss can be found at its only known location in the province. The Shimna River provides excellent habitat for spawning fish, with populations of Atlantic salmon, brown trout and sea trout present.
Other species inhabiting the system include minnow, stone loach, Three-spined stickleback and eel. Appealing for urgent work to be carried out, Mr Kilgore said it is essential that repairs take place, and that the relevant department or bodies come forward and commit to fixing the weir before it is too late. “The river is important, on so many levels. This situation cannot be allowed to rumble on. The weir needs fixed, so the water levels remain at the correct height. “Eighteen inch drops are just too much,” added Mr Kilgore.