Ness Weir
Vital repair works at Ness Weir on behalf of Scottish Canals have progressed well and the project was nominated for a Saltire Civil Award in October 2018. Due to the increased pressure on the structure due to downpours blamed by global warming these works have been instigated and are valued in the region of £2M.
Constructed between 1825 and 1830 by Thomas Telford, Ness Weir sits at the mouth of Loch Dochfour and the River Ness. The weir raises the water level of Loch Dochfour by almost two metres and Loch Ness by 1.2m. It retains around 100,000,000m³ of water and thanks to this elegant engineering solution, vessels are able to transit through Dochgarroch lock, through Loch Dochfour, and into Loch Ness.
The works that Mackenzie Construction have undertaken involves the installation of 500m of steel pilling, to strengthen the structure and safeguard it for future generations.