UK company Settle Hydro has launched a new crowdfunding campaign to protect migrating fish and improve generation of clean electricity at its site in northern England.
The weir head on the River Ribble at Bridge End Mill in Settle has fallen into a state of disrepair over the past few years.
This makes it hard to manage a consistent flow of water into both the hydro turbine and the adjacent fish pass, the company said.
Fish need to travel upstream to return to their spawning grounds and use the pass to help negotiate the fast-flowing weir.
The weir head was damaged during floods in 2015 and emergency repairs were carried out in 2018 to prevent a catastrophic failure.
However, this was only a temporary fix pending more robust repairs, Settle Hydro said.
The damage has led to inconsistent flows which means fish struggle to negotiate the pass during both high and low extremes in the water level, it added.
The company, which is run solely by volunteers, said a record February for power generation has been followed by subsequent low levels of the river in an unprecedentedly sunny Spring.
This has provided a perfect window for the repair work if sufficient funds can be raised promptly.
Once repaired, the weir head will ensure a more consistent flow of water to both the fish pass and the turbine – boosting wildlife and generating more clean electricity, Settle Hydro said.
The Hydro team are hoping to raise £15,000 to ensure the weir head is made secure for years to come and has created a GoFundMe page on the internet to help the fundraising efforts.
Voluntary board member Sandy Todd said: “It’s vital that we move away from fossil fuels to clean energy sources like Settle Hydro which can make a real difference to the local environment and our carbon footprint.
“This crowdfunding project will serve two environmental objectives in one, helping fish migration to encourage fish numbers and increasing the amount of clean energy we produce for local homes.”