On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:28:11 GMT, "Broooz"
wrote:

"Ewan Scott" wrote in message
.. .

My info is now well out of date.... however, there was an isue some
time ago about access to Lochs used as reservoirs and the use of said
waters. Seemed to me rather crass at the time but I can't see why you
can't canoe Katrine when there's a bloody great steamer going up and
down it every day :-)

There used to be a theory that you could not partake in watersports on a
reservoir in case you peed in the water (even if in your wetsuit). Then the
London reservoirs permitted it if you wore a drysuit - not much fun in
summer. For some reason, no thought was given to the possibility of
fisherman doing the same on the banks of the reservoir or for that matter,
countless animals.

I suspect the rules are more down to protecting certain interests that have
unreasonable persuasion as well as in response to prejudice from a small
proportion of the public who think it affects water quality whereas clearly
it does not.

This wasn't, at the time, a theory. It was a requirement - and it
applied to a specific cachement area that included about seven or
eight water providing lochs supplying the central belt local
authorities. Farmers were prosecuted for burning caracsses on the
surrounding hillsides, or if their vehicles leaked oil into the
watercourse!!

A somewhat impractical situation. That was some 15 years ago and I'm
sure that that may have changed. I'm also sure that it was a policy
publicly upheld by landowners to keep people off their property. Not
that it will stop people now:-)

Ewan Scott
http://www.claytonwestscouts.org.uk