Loch of Lintrathen

Loch in Angus, Scotland

Loch of Lintrathen

Loch of Lintrathen at dusk

Loch of Lintrathen

Location in Angus

Location| NO27765487
Coordinates| 56°40′49″N 3°10′58″W﻿ / ﻿56.68030167°N 3.18285226°W﻿ / 56.68030167; -3.18285226
Type| freshwater loch
Max. length| 2 km (1.2 mi)[1]
Max. width| 1.2 km (0.75 mi)[1]
Surface area| 169 ha (420 acres)[2]
Average depth| 23.29 ft (7.10 m)[1]
Max. depth| 69.88 ft (21.30 m)[1]
Water volume| 423,213,862 cu ft (11,984,082.0 m3)[1]
Shore length1| 8 km (5.0 mi) [2]
Surface elevation| 205 m (673 ft)[2]
Max. temperature| 55.5 °F (13.1 °C)
Min. temperature| 48.0 °F (8.9 °C)
Islands| 0
Settlements| Kirriemuir
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Loch of Lintrathen is a man-made loch occupying a glacial basin at the southern end of Glen Isla,[3] approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) west of town of Kirriemuir in Angus, Scotland.[1][2]

The small village of Bridgend of Lintrathen lies on the southern shore of the loch, which is owned by Scottish Water and used as a water supply reservoir as well as an important wildlife site.[4] The loch has been the main water supply for the city of Dundee and Angus since 1875.[5] The water in the Loch of Lintrathen feeds down from Backwater Reservoir 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) to the north and exits it via sluices at Bridgend of Lintrathen, flowing southward past Lintrathen Mill in the ‘Melgam Water’, which has a confluence with the River Isla 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) farther south at Airlie Castle.[6] The loch has a surface area of 151.1 hectares (373 acres) and its dam is an earthworks dam.[3]

Loch of Lintrathen is a mid-altitude oligotrophic-mesotrophic loch, which supports large numbers of birds. There are internationally important numbers of greylag geese, with 3% of the Iceland population over-wintering at the site.[7] Other wildlife includes whooper swans, otters and osprey, and the loch is used for trout fishing.[4] The fishing is managed by the Lintrathen Angling Club and both brown and rainbow trout are fished for.[3]

As well as being recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,[8] Loch of Lintrathen has also been designated a Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[9] The Ramsar Site includes an area of marshland in the north-west, a total of 217 hectares being protected.[8] The loch and surrounding area is also maintained as a nature reserve by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.[4]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f John, Murray; Lawrence, Pullar. Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897–1909 Lochs of the Tay Basin Volume II – Loch of Lintrathen. National Library of Scotland. p. 122. Retrieved 6 December 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. ^ a b c d "Loch of Lintrathen". Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER). Retrieved 6 December 2020.
3. ^ a b c "Lintrathen, Loch of". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
4. ^ a b c "Loch of Lintrathen". Scottish Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2019.,
5. ^ "Loch Of Lintrathen Reservoir, Dam". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
6. ^ "Loch of Lintrathen Wildlife Reserve". Cateran Museum. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
7. ^ "UK Loch of Lintrathen 13039 RIS 2006" (PDF). Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
8. ^ a b "Loch of Lintrathen". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
9. ^ "Loch of Lintrathen SPA". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 12 April 2019.