Uist at risk from climate change

South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist may be the first Scottish communities to suffer from the affects of climate change and rising sea-levels according to Prof Stewart Angus, policy manager with SNH.

Uist features ’s relationship with water, from the elaborate canal system possibly dating to the 18th century to the inland fisheries and the threat of storm surges to the low-lying machair on the west.

’ second talk at the 2019 Ceòlas community symposium, which took place between the 21st and 23rd of July, titled ‘Eadar an Làn, an Lige agus an Locha’.

Speaking at Ceòlas’ community symposium, Prof Angus said the communities most vulnerable to the affects of climate change in Scotland are Uist, Tiree, Islay and Sanday in Orkney.

Uist’s situation on the rim of the North Atlantic, along with its soft coastline, low-lying plains and lochs, leaves it exposed to powerful storms.

Currently shielded by forests of kelp, which help to sap the strength of the Atlantic rollers, it is thought that storm surges and further sea-level rise will render this natural defence more ineffective as the wave action rises above the kelp’s reach.

South Uist has been drained through a canal system, known as the ‘lìgidhean’, for many generations.

The under-researched system is highly complex, spanning the length of the island and into Benbecula, and oral tradition says that sections were built in the 18th century by Dutch engineers.

Due to sea-level rise, amongst other factors, the drains’ effectiveness is reduced as there is less time at low tide to expel water.

A powerful storm, accompanied by a surge and large rainfall, will cause major flooding and result in considerable damage to coastal areas.

In some areas, the machair dunes which provide a regenerative buffer for the low-lying inland croft land are growing precariously thin at certain areas.

The machair at Cille Pheadair is in danger of inundation by the sea if the dunes breach on the west side during a storm.

Much of the inland machair lies below the high-water spring tide and large areas of croft-land may be reclaimed by the ocean. It is thought that this could happen within the next century.

Uist to be first Scottish community to suffer affects of climate change

4 August 2019