Talk:River Leven, Dunbartonshire

Trees along the riverbank

Can anybody explain why all the trees and shrubs along the banks of river Leven are blackened Thanks Ian —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.41.42.164 (talk) 15:23, 3 May 2010 (UTC)

Far too late a reply for Ian, but perhaps still of interest to readers: look up "warehouse-staining fungus". There are bonded warehouses for whisky barrels alongside several stretches of the River Leven, and blackening of tree trunks is very widespread and apparent nearby. There are no whisky bonds in the lower reaches of the river, and the trees there present a normal appearance.

A rough explanation (IIRC): alcohol vapour (the "angels' share", i.e., the alcohol lost from the barrels by evaporation) "hardens" the fungus to the effects of heat, making it better able to colonise certain surfaces, such as tree trunks and, sometimes, buildings; the phenomenon has also long been well known from mainland Europe in connection with Cognac (brandy) barrels. Search for the fungus name Baudoinia compniacensis for a better and more detailed explanation; the specific part of that scientific name is a reference (in Latinised form) to "Cognac", but the same species has been implicated in the blackening associated with proximity to whisky bonds. 2.26.127.200 (talk) 09:40, 17 June 2023 (UTC)

(Un)Navigable

Why is the question of navigability so mealy-mouthed: “Nowadays the river is considered to not be navigable.”?

There’s a weir in Balloch. I don’t think there’s any doubt that it unnavigable! Is this simply a question however of finding source support as opposed to “opinion” however common-sense and obvious? Iainmacg (talk) 09:13, 11 December 2020 (UTC)