Loch Oich
| Loch Oich | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Highlands of Scotland |
| Coordinates | 57°4′N 4°47′W / 57.067°N 4.783°WCoordinates: 57°4′N 4°47′W / 57.067°N 4.783°W |
| Type | freshwater loch |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Max. length | 6.5 km (4 mi) |
| Max. width | 1 km (0.62 mi) |
| Max. depth | 47 m (154 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 32 m (106 ft) |
Loch Oich (/ˌlɒx ˈɔɪx/; Scottish Gaelic: Loch Omhaich) is a freshwater loch in the Highlands of Scotland which forms part of the Caledonian Canal, of which it is the highest point.[1] This narrow loch lies between Loch Ness (to the Northeast) and Loch Lochy (to the Southwest) in the Great Glen.[2] It is fed by the River Garry (from Loch Garry) from the West, and feeds the River Oich from its North end. The Laggan locks separate it from Loch Lochy.
The Loch Oich wildlife is rich with a wide variety of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Every autumn the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) migrates from the sea using Loch Oich, Loch Lochy and Loch Ness as their spawning nests. After two years when the fingerling are up to 20 cm (8 in) long they migrate back to the sea where they grow rapidly and weigh from 3.5–17 kg (8–37 lb) after two years.
Thomas Telford artificially raised the level of the loch by many feet to provide a navigable channel for the Caledonian Canal.[3]