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Environment Agency Oct- Dec 2013 SW Fisheries Newsletter

Environment Agency
February 12 2014

River Wey opened up for fish passage
The River Wey in Weymouth is now open for sea trout and salmon migration every day, for the first time in a century. Westham Bridge, built in the early 1900s, effectively blocks off the River Wey from Weymouth Harbour. All water leaving the river system has to pass through a series of penstocks and flood flap controlled culverts. Migration is now possible, because we have installed a retarder (simply a large spring) to hold the flood flap open. The retarder holds the flap open at 300mm for a short period either side of the rising and falling tides and closes when equilibrium water pressure is reached. This gives sea trout and salmon an opportunity to move in and out of the river. Roger Genge, fisheries catchment officer for the Wey, will be carrying out random visual checks at the bridge two hours before, or after high tide, to observe fish movement through the flap.