Take a loch at this! Pink dye job
Visitors to Strathclyde Park shouldn’t be alarmed if they notice coloured patches of water in the loch over the next few weeks.
Pink dye is being placed into the water as part of a water flow study by Scottish Water, assisted by North Lanarkshire Council and supported by SEPA.
It is hoped the project will shed light on how contaminants are carried into the loch from the South Calder Water.
The dye will be put in the river upstream from where it enters the loch, and it will be monitored over the following 24 hours using samplers, which will be placed on rafts.
A series of five tests is planned, with work expected to start during the week beginning March 5, and taking place during March and early April. A drone will also fly over the area to record images of the movement of the dye.
Scottish Water say the dye is harmless and will disappear gradually over a few days. However, visitors may notice a discolouration in the water, particularly around the South Calder Water inlet on the east shore. Fishing will be restricted and dog owners are advised not to let their pets swim in the loch.
Adrian Proctor, project manager within Scottish Water’s studies department, said: “This is a really important study to help us better understand the water flow within Strathclyde Loch.
“We’d like to reassure the public that the tracer dyes being used for the study are environmentally safe.”