The Taming of Dowally Burn
Contents
- The Source - Loch Ordie
- Dowally Burn - flows out of Loch Ordie
- Dowally Burn - flows freely
- Dowally Burn - flows into the old reservoir
- Dowally Burn - now partly in a pipe
- The depleted Dowally Burn - beside the pipe
- The depleted Dowally Burn - plunges into its gorge
- The penstock pipe goes down through the fields
- Destination - powerhouse
- Its work done the water is returned to the Dowally Burn
- Reunited the Dowally Burn flows on
The Source - Loch Ordie
Loch Ordie is an upland loch with crags, trees and rhododendron bushes on its perimeter.On the south west corner of the loch a row of cottages, Lochordie Lodge, stand up from the loch with steps down to a rudimentary stone pier.
Dowally Burn - flows out of Loch Ordie
The level of the weir at the outflow of the loch has been raised by up to 500mm in conjunction with the Dowally Burn Hydro-Electric scheme. It remains to be seen how this will in fact change the shore of the loch. It is hoped that there will not be an ugly scar all around as there is with many of the large hydro-electric reservoirs.
Modifications to the existing weir allow control of the outflow rate from the loch into Dowally Burn to enhance the productivity of the hydro-electric scheme.
The burn then flows through the old square notch flow gauge.
Dowally Burn - flows freely
The burn meanders now meanders across the moorunder the footbridge and through some rapids.
Dowally Burn - flows into the old reservoir
A relic from an old water supply to Dunkeld.
The dam and spillway are retained as before.
The very white concrete addition is where the new pipeline flows out of the dam.
Dowally Burn - now partly in a pipe
The pipe goes under the ford through the remaining Dowally Burn.
Reinstating the wall after the pipe has been buried.
Pipes to be buried, before and after, with the white posts marking the route.
Digging the ditch for the pipe and after it is installed.
The depleted Dowally Burn - beside the pipe
The burn continues alongside the pipe and under the old bridge.
Tidying up at Raor Lodge.
The depleted Dowally Burn - plunges into its gorge
At Raor Lodge there is a waterfall where the burn begins its tumble through the gorge.
In the wooded gorge.
Deep in the trees is evidence of earlier uses of the burn, an old broken pipeline and the shell of an old mill.
The penstock pipe goes down through the fields
The white markers show where the pipeline goes under arable fields and another reinstated wall
Sometimes still visible until everything is tested and working.
Destination - powerhouse
The last post
The powerhouse containing turbine and generator.
The powerhouse ready for production.
The tailrace is buried underground.
Its work done the water is returned to the Dowally Burn
The buried tailrace emerges from its pipe.
Reunited the Dowally Burn flows on
The 'complete' Dowally Burn flows on.
Who would guess the work it has done - homes heated and lit, kettles boiled and TVs powered - all without burning fossil fuels and the environment virtually unaffected.
Hopefully electricity will be produced by mid May.