Tidal Weir

Tidal Weir FAQ's|  Phone 0141 287 2000

The Clyde Tidal Weir is an important part of Glasgow's infrastructure network and is essential to maintaining the water level of the River Clyde. The Weir stabilises the upstream banking of the River Clyde by maintaining a fixed water level, creating a deep, wide channel of water through Glasgow Green.

Function

The purpose of the Tidal Weir is to maintain a constant water level on the upstream side maintaining this impounded level creating a deep, wide channel of water through Glasgow Green.

This provides a hydrostatic water balance, which prevents the riverbanks above the weir from collapsing. The impounded water also allows recreational use of the river for activities such as rowing clubs, and creates a more aesthetical feature of the river, which would otherwise be a muddy stream at low tide.

Facts

The change from fresh water to salt water within river estuaries usually happens gradually over a number of miles. The Weir creates an unnatural situation: two distinct ecosystems separated by a barrier. This mix provides an important habitat for a range of birds, fish and mammals.

History

Built in 1901, the Weir needed major repairs in 1943, due to damage sustained in the catastrophic floods of 1941, when both the Weir and the riverside tenements on Adelphi Street on the south bank were demolished. The north side of the Weir is within Glasgow Green near Jocelyn or Jail Square, an area once used for public executions and public speaking. The Weir is now a Category B Listed Structure due to its design and appearance.

Further repairs were required after a gate jammed in 2017 allowing water levels to drop causing damage to nearby river-banks. The North gate repairs were completed in 2021 with the South/Middle gate repairs starting in 2024 with completion expected at end of 2025.