Restoring over 500 hectares of peatland to protect water quality and reduce carbon loss
A peatland restoration project was carried out in 2025 at a 339 hectares stretch of upland near the Backwater Reservoir, in north-west Angus, Scotland. Works have restarted at the site in August 2026, on 192 hectares more. The work is requested by Scottish Water. It is carried out by Mackenzie Construction (as the principal contractor), working with McGowan Environmental Engineering (who are peatland restoration specialists).
This is a plain English version of the case study.
Key Points
- improve the quality of water flowing into Backwater Reservoir
- keep carbon locked up in the peat
- reduce erosion across the area surrounding the reservoir
- protected species grow back in the restored areas
- nature recovers and stays healthy in the long term
Background
When dead plants build up in an area of land for thousands of years, they can create a thick layer of water-soaked soil; the wet layer of soil is called peat and the area is peatland. Peatland grows at around 1mm per year, and peatland in good condition can store as much carbon as a forest of pine, spruce, or fir trees, typical of cold northern areas (boreal woodland).
Peatlands can be damaged naturally or because of human activity. Natural causes of damage include droughts, wildfires and erosion. Damage by human activity happens when people disturb the ground, make changes to water flows, or remove peat - for example in farming, mining and construction activities. Peatlands can be damaged by too much grazing, planting or removing trees, digging peat for fuel, digging ditches to drain the land, and burning vegetation.
When peatland is damaged, carbon that has been stored in it can escape into the air; and soil and organic material can be washed into rivers and reservoirs. This can affect both the environment, and the quality of water that enters water treatment works.
Peatland restoration is the repair of damaged peatlands so that they can hold water effectively, support wildlife and store more carbon again. It reduces flood impacts and improves water quality.
Around 1 million hectares of peatland require restoration in Scotland. Peatland ACTION is Scotland's national peatland restoration programme. It is run through a group of public organisations, working together. Scottish Water are one of Peatland ACTION’s organisations. They have a particular interest in restoration of peatlands, because around 70% of Scotland’s public water supply starts in peatland. As a result, Scottish Water have been carrying out a range of peatland restoration projects across the areas of land that feed water into drinking water sources. This case study forms part of Scottish Water's peatland restoration programme.
The Backwater Reservoir catchment, in north-west Angus, is the area around the reservoir that collects rainwater and channels that water into the reservoir. This area contained peatland that had become damaged, as a result of erosion and drainage. Scottish Water asked Mackenzie Construction (as main contractor) and specialist company McGowan Environmental Engineering to carry out the restoration of the peatland.
The work carried out
Work started in April 2025 and is ongoing.
The project began with Mackenzie Construction's in-house team carrying out detailed site assessments. They used drones and visual checks to map the damaged areas and work out the best way to restore them. Several restoration measures were then used across the site:
Smoothing and reshaping peat banks that were damaged by erosion ('peat hag reprofiling')
Excavators carefully removed surface vegetation. The excavators then reshaped steep, eroded peat faces, turning them into more stable slopes. They then covered the slopes with vegetation, to help make the ground stable, vegetation grow back and the area recover.
Control of water erosion channels (gullies) and slopes
Where slopes could not be restored using excavators, the project team covered the banks of exposed peat, and the channels created by water erosion, with natural fibre mats (including coir, which is coconut fibre). These mats help hold the peat slopes in place and protect them while plants grow back.
Blocking drainage ditches
Drainage channels are ditches or drains dug and ploughed in the past to remove water from the peatland. The project team blocked the peatland drainage channels. To do that, they used excavators to create dams, made of peat and turf (called 'peat dams'), across the drainage channels: they pulled in peat from either side of the channel to close up the drains permanently. The peat dams hold back water, slow the water movement, and keep the peatland wetter. As a result, there is less erosion, the water level in the ground can rise, and it is easier for peatland vegetation to grow back.
Regular wildlife (ecology) checks
The area being restored is home to protected species (such as sphagnum moss), birds and animals. Because of this, the project team regularly checked for wildlife, while the work was taking place.
Working with groups affected by the restoration project
Projects give better results when everyone involved works together and communicates well. The project team worked with Forestry and Land Scotland, local landowners and the local raptor group, to ensure the work was carried out in a way that protected wildlife and the environment.
Ongoing and future plans
The work on the initial 339 hectares of peatland is completed. Work on another 192 hectares of peatland has started in August 2026. The total work will make the project one of Scottish Water’s biggest peatland restoration projects so far.
This work is key to managing our catchment areas responsibly and helping to support an environment that is more resilient to climate change, while also protecting our source waters for customers.
We’re proud to support Scottish Water’s peatland restoration work and play a part in reducing carbon loss from these upland areas. The project strengthens our long-standing commitment to improving water quality for our clients and it's rewarding to see that commitment reflected in the landscape we’re helping to restore.
Projects such as these demonstrate what can be achieved through close collaboration across a range of stakeholders. We are delighted to have assisted in the restoration of peatland in the Backwater catchment.
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