Marsworth Flight (restricted times)

[chris w]

The Marsworth Flight currently has restricted opening times of 8am to 5:30pm each day and is padlocked outside these times. This is due to blue-green algae affecting the ability to pump enough water into the Tring summit. Only one of the 4 reservoirs is unaffected by algae and the EA will not allow BW to pump water "polluted" with the algae from the other three reservoirs.

 

The restriction affects the top 7 locks of the 9 lock flight from the "White Lion" at Marsworth (Lock 39) to the Summit Lock (Lock 45). The two lower locks between Pitsone and Marsworth (Locks 37 & 38) are unaffected.

 

Chris

[Ray]

The Aylesbury Arm is also restricted, with passage through the top lock at Marsworth having to be pre-booked, 24 hours in advance.

[mayalld]

The Marsworth Flight currently has restricted opening times of 8am to 5:30pm each day and is padlocked outside these times. This is due to blue-green algae affecting the ability to pump enough water into the Tring summit. Only one of the 4 reservoirs is unaffected by algae and the EA will not allow BW to pump water "polluted" with the algae from the other three reservoirs.

 

More to the point, the EA are *PROSECUTING* BW for allowing BGA to pass from reservoirs into canals last year.

 

Until there is a judgement on that case, BW are going to be very cautious.

[chris w]

More to the point, the EA are *PROSECUTING* BW for allowing BGA to pass from reservoirs into canals last year.

 

Until there is a judgement on that case, BW are going to be very cautious.

 

This case does seem a waste of good funds that could otherwise be used on the canals. The prosecution, to which you allude, has been going on now for 2 years! BW's case is that the BGA is not a "pollutant" in that it is a natural product and not some man-made chemical for example.

 

BW are treating some volumes of water with hydrogen peroxide which kills the algae and reoxygenates the water. However it is very labour intensive and very expensive. The problem goes away with the first frosts (October usually) which also kill the algae.

 

A BW guy who was padlocking the flight the other evening told me that the summit depth is fine at the moment but that they only have about 7 days water left in the unaffected reservoir with another 7 days in the summit itself. They are also pumping water from the bore hole at Cow Roast. He further said that the BGA is not categorised as a pollutant on some stretches in different parts of the country.

 

Chris