Scotland's most famous loch has dropped to its lowest level in 32 years twice already this year amid dry conditions that have led to water shortages across the Highlands.
Loch Ness is 23 miles long and 230 metres (126 fathoms; 755 feet) deep at its deepest point. It contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, at around 1.8 cubic miles of icy water.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said a level of just over 109cm (3.5ft) was recorded at Foyers on May 24, the lowest since records began on December 1, 1990 reports the Express.
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It has recovered slightly since then but there are growing calls for energy company SSE Renewables to release the water stored in reservoirs at hydro power stations to help ease the drought.
The Ness system – also including tributaries and the River Ness flowing into the Moray Firth at Inverness – is at a 'moderate scarcity' level, according to SEPA. Loch Maree in the Highlands is at 'significant risk' will 37 areas across the Firth of Clyde are on 'alert'.
The agency said in May the Loch Ness area had been one of the driest in the UK, and Inverness had received just a third of its usual long-term average rainfall.
Ness District Salmon Fishery Board said the river was already at levels more usually seen at the end of July and August, with large areas drying out.
Director Brian Shaw told BBC Scotland: "There is a tremendous amount of concern and I think one of the key things is we are so early in the summer and already twice the River Ness has got to its lowest level on record."
He added: "Most people wouldn't appreciate just how controlled the Ness system is. When it gets down to these low levels almost every aspect of it is controlled by hydro schemes on the system."
He added that releasing water stored further up the system at SSE's Loch Garry and Loch Loyne reservoirs could help alleviate the situation.
Naturalist Adrian Shine said the loch was at its lowest level he had seen since 1989, adding: "Loch Ness is very deep so you are not going to see an immense difference over its surface and the sides are very steep, except in certain areas.
"The most noticeable area is Urquhart Bay and there is a bay within that bay that is dry, and I don't remember that happening in '89."
SSE said it was managing its water use sensitively amid challenging weather conditions, adding that water levels at Loch Loyne and Loch Garry were needed to protect nesting sites of protected birds.
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