River restoration works complete on the Nith
Date published: 27 November 2025
Phase four of a Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) project in the upper catchment of the River Nith in East Ayrshire has concluded in the creation of a wetland wildlife haven on the site of a former sewage works.
The latest phase of the landscape-scale restoration of the river downstream of New Cumnock – funded by SEPA’s Water Environment Fund – has created a mosaic of wetland habitats across 2ha at the site of the former Polquhirter Treatment Works.
A 280m stretch of man-made embankment has also been set back from the river’s edge and the floodplain has been lowered and reprofiled to reconnect it with the river for the first time in living memory.
The works were led by the Tweed Forum in partnership with SEPA and Castlemains Farm and carried out by Ebsford Environmental.
Marion Shoote, Project Officer at SEPA said: “This is one of the Water Environment Fund’s biggest restoration projects to date, encompassing four phases along the Nith over the course of a decade.
“Phase four is a great example of how farming, nature and water can all work together.
“By setting the embankment back into the farmland, this project has helped to renaturalise the flow of the river and the environment within the river corridor, strengthening the resilience of the surrounding landscape to climate change and flooding, and improving the health of the river.
“The project also created natural flood storage in new wetland habitats that will, among other things, provide a home for nesting geese. This was enabled by the former sewage works site being acquired by Castlemains Farm.
“We can’t talk about the success of this project without acknowledging the enormous contribution made by Chris Horrill in his work for Tweed Forum. Chris passed away before the project completed, but his vision and enthusiasm to see the upper Nith reinvigorated for nature has left a lasting legacy.”
Earlier works along the river took place at Castlemains Farm (2019), Meikle Garclaugh Farm (2020) and Blackwood Farm (2021).
Overall, the project has rejuvenated 3km of the Upper Nith by removing man-made embankments and has reconnected the river with 7.5ha of its floodplain. Work has been targeted at improving biodiversity and reducing flood risk for local communities.
Tweed Forum Contracts and Project Manager, Philip Kearney, said: “This project shows the many benefits that can be achieved when we give rivers the space they need to function naturally. By transforming a neglected brownfield site into a thriving ecosystem we’re not only supporting wildlife and improving water quality but are also reducing flood risk and helping communities adapt to the challenges of climate change.”
SEPA administers the Water Environment Fund on behalf of Scottish Government and works in partnership with local authorities, land and structure owners, fishery trusts and conservation bodies to deliver an annual programme of river restoration projects.
While the condition of rivers and lochs in Scotland is generally classified as good by SEPA, many environmental challenges remain. One challenge is historical and physical alterations to rivers in Scotland.
The Water Environment Fund delivers projects which will derive the greatest benefit to Scotland’s rivers and neighbouring communities.
Notes to editors
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