The disappearance of Loch Ness, Scotland, could become a reality in the future. The largest body of water in the UK, famous for the legend of the monster it is said to be home to, is experiencing a record drop in water levels. At issue: global warming, informs Slate.
A situation that Brian Shawn, the director of the Ness District Salmon Fishing Council, is trying to alert. “It’s early summer, and twice already this year Loch Ness has reached its lowest level on record for this time of year,” he said. In March, this freshwater lake in the Highlands reached its lowest known level since records began in 1990.
The presence of a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in the village of Foyers, near the lake, would have something to do with this situation. According to Brian Shawn, it would contribute to aggravate the problem.
But the dramatically shrinking Loch Ness isn’t the only Highland lake affected by global warming. Loch Maree in the Northwest Highlands also saw its water levels drop from the start of the summer. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has classified the area as presenting a “significant risk”. Loch Ness and Loch Esk, in the south of the country, are subject to “moderate shortage”.
“The fact that the risk of water scarcity has reached the ‘significant’ level so early in the summer is extremely worrying and leaves no doubt that the next few months will be very difficult for all those who depend on water. aquatic environment to operate their business. (…) It is vital that companies take action now to maximize available resources and prevent further environmental damage,” also warns Nathan Critchlow-Watton, head of water and planning at Sepa.
