Why Natural Resources Wales is pumping extra water into the River Dee this week
Natural Resources Wales has released extra water into the River Dee to protect fish as temperatures locally are forecast to reach 37°C on Thursday, with amber heat warnings in place for both Wednesday and Thursday.
At midday on Monday 22 June, Natural Resources Wales increased the discharge from Llyn Tegid into the River Dee by 2 cubic metres per second, a rise of around 30%.
The timing is deliberate — the additional flow has been calculated to reach the tideway downstream of Chester Weir on Wednesday morning, ahead of the most intense heat forecast for Thursday.
The higher flow will be maintained for between two and three days.
Natural Resources Wales said the action means more than double the amount of water will reach the tideway than would naturally occur under current conditions.
The aim is to reduce stress on fish caused by low water levels and reduced oxygen levels linked to high temperatures.
The additional water has been drawn from the Special Release Allocation, a dedicated reserve within the River Dee Regulation Scheme set aside to deliver environmental benefits when needed.
Robert Bissell, Team Leader for Hydrology and Water Resource Management at Natural Resources Wales, said:
“Prolonged periods of hot weather and low flows can place significant pressure on fish and other wildlife. By using the Special Release Allocation, we are able to respond quickly and provide additional support to the river environment when it is most needed.”
“We will continue to monitor conditions closely and take further action where necessary to protect the River Dee and its wildlife.”
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