THE Environment Agency has dismissed rumours that boulders installed in the River Lemon in Newton Abbot are the wrong colour and will need to be replaced.

The agency said the boulders, which have been added as part of work to improve fish passage along the river, are natural stone sourced from a local quarry.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: ‘There is no need for the boulders to be replaced.

‘Their colour is due to being fresh from the quarry, but will darken naturally and blend into the surrounding environment’.

The boulders form part of a series of measures designed to help migratory and resident fish navigate the River Lemon.

River Lemon, Newton Abbot
(Ethan Heppell / MDA)

Boulder berms and pre-barrages are being installed to create refuge and resting areas for fish as they move through the channel.

The Environment Agency said it had engaged with the local community before the work began, but the colour of the boulders had not been specified or requested during those discussions.

Work on the River Lemon channel through Newton Abbot has now paused for the winter following unavoidable delays.

These included the impact of low river flows on fish, groundwater entering dry working areas and the discovery of unexpected buried infrastructure.

Excavated areas will continue to be made safe and secure, with work expected to resume in 2027.

The Environment Agency also stressed that the Newton Abbot works are separate from the Bradley Weir scheme.

The boulders are not part of the Bradley Weir project, which forms part of the Lemon Partnership Project to Improve Passage, a separate partnership involving the Westcountry Rivers Trust, Environment Agency and National Trust.