The Pow Burn flows into the River South Esk near Montrose Basin. Over the centuries, it has been straightened, dredged, and confined by man-made embankments. These modifications have reduced the quality of the river habitat.

In 2017, the SEPA Water Environment Fund (WEF) supported improvements to 2.5 km of the Pow Burn, returning it to its more natural form. This work aimed to improve local flood risk management, as well as biodiversity.

A video about the Pow Burn restoration can be found here.