Salmon return to Glasgow’s once heavily polluted River Clyde Glasgow’s famous River Clyde is now far less polluted than it used to be, with water quality improving and fish […]

Glasgow’s famous River Clyde is now far less polluted than it used to be, with water quality improving and fish returning to areas that they have been unable to access for decades.

Some parts of the river are now graded as “excellent” after recovering from years of pollution, according to monitoring work carried out by Scotland’s environmental regulator.

“We’ve abused this river, tipping our waste into it without a second thought for the impact it has” The i newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Roseanna Cunningham MSP

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said the Clyde was in “significantly better health” than expected thanks to high levels of investment.

The river’s overall quality was previously ranked as “bad”, the worst possible category, but improved to “moderate” in 2015 and some stretches have now improved again.

Around 100km of waterways have been opened up by removing barriers to fish, with salmon reintroduced in higher parts of the river that they were previously unable to access.

SEPA, which monitors the water quality in Scotland’s lochs and rivers, said the River Clyde had also experienced fewer overflows from sewers and less pollution from agricultural sources.

‘Stench’

The Scottish Government hailed what it described as a “lasting change in the Clyde’s fortunes” and said further efforts were underway to make more improvements.

“The Clyde flows through the very heart of Glasgow and for centuries the river has provided our largest city with a gateway to the world and a source of prosperity,” said Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.

“However, since industrialisation in the early 1800s, we’ve abused this river, tipping our waste into it without a second thought for the impact it has on the communities living along the banks, water quality or the wider environment.”

She added that “hard work and investment” had seen water quality improve, aquatic species return to the waters and had brought an end to “the stench which once made residents’ lives a misery”.

Investment

Between 2010 and 2021, Scottish Water will have invested more than £600m in wastewater treatment works and sewerage systems in the area.

The Scottish Government has also contributed £3.1m in river restoration projects near Hamilton and Shotts through its Water Environment Fund.

SEPA chairman Bob Downes added: “Having a healthier River Clyde system is a real benefit to people living in Glasgow.

“We need to ensure that our rivers are in as good a condition as they can be, providing a healthy environment and contributing to everyone’s well-being.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but seeing the results of the hard work that has already happened is very rewarding and encouraging.”

Salmon were once extinct in the River Clyde’s catchment area due to pollution but are now returning in numbers. However, they are still unable to reach all of their natural spawning areas.