HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, has officially opened a new hydropower scheme and fish pass on the River Monnow in Monmouthshire, today (23 September 2009).

The story behind the scheme, however, is one of partnership, dedication and the achievement of one man’s dream for generating power.

For nearly 300 years, Osbaston Weir, on the River Monnow near Monmouth, was totally impassable for migratory fish due to its height and to an associated abstraction..

In the Autumn of 2008, Environment Agency Wales completed construction of a new fish pass, at a cost of £600,000 funded through the FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) allocated by the Welsh European Funding Office.

The new pass has opened up approximately 200km of river to allow fish including the Wye salmon to enter and spawn in the Monnow again for the first time in 300 years.

It also provides an opportunity to significantly improve the ecological quality of the water. Additional work being done by the Agency will help reduce the build up of sediment and provide freedom of movement for other species of fish, upstream and downstream.

Environment Agency Wales is working to bring all rivers in Wales up to a ‘good’ standard by 2027 as required by the Water Framework Directive, a major environmental initiative to make Wales’ natural waters even better.

But the revival at Osbaston for fish and especially spawning salmon. Landowner Ronald Kear unearthed the foundations of a 110 year old hydropower station whilst working on his property and this prompted him to consider the prospect of building a new power station as a source of renewable energy.

Mr Kear worked in partnership with Environment Agency Wales, building his new power station alongside the fish pass. But this time, and taking advice on an environmentally protective design, it was the ancient technology of Archimedes that was used at Osbaston.

www.mech.upatras.gr/~chondros/HistofTechnology.html&usg=__M-bD-6HpbkW1DY...