Historically in St Ninians parish, the loch was affected by an earthquake in 1755 that disturbed the morphology of the loch. The loch occurs naturally but was raised and extended in the 19th century. At this time, an island at the western end of the loch was submerged revealing the potential remains of a crannog. In 2025, a rare moss,
Ptychostomum cyclophyllum (Round-leaved bryum), was transported to the loch to revive the species. The moss was found only in one other place in the UK until established at Loch Coulter and
Threipmuir Reservoir. ==References==