The question of the role of the weirs in the River Don is much wider than just Kelham Island and Sheffield Renewables does not have the power or resources to remove an individual weir. The planning process takes into account individual views on the river usage as well the views of the Environment Agency who are a statutory consultee on the application.

On a personal note and as a fisherman, I like the weirs because they actually allow for more bio-diversity than would be normal on a river such as the Don. If the weirs are removed then much of that bio-diversity would be lost. Weirs and goits have been part of the river system for over 500 years and it is arguable that it is now the “natural state” of the river system.

Man has made a huge impact, not only with weirs and goits but with reservoirs for drinking water, artificial banking for flood defences as well as huge amounts of abstraction for various usages including cooling conventional power stations. All have affected the “natural state” of the river. We cannot remove our effects without removing ourselves and decisions have to be balanced against the many uses of the river.

Thank you

Richard Ward

I’ll check out the links now.

Thanks for letting us know!