River Nen(e) and Middle Level Water Levels

[fladda]

I've just completed the Nene from Stanground to Northampton. Despite all the talk about lack of water, the water levels on the Nene were OK for a boat drawing 2 foot 6". a couple of the lock cuts below some of the locks were a bit shallow, but all the weirs had some water coming down. I suspect that this 'water' comes from the outlets of the various water treatment plants - every toilet flushed in Northampton/Wellingborough/Thrapston/Oundle etc. eventually ends up in the Nene. At Peterborough all of this Nene water is currently being send down onto the Middle Level at Stanground lock/Ashline lock - to be used for irrigation of the crops etc.

 

Plenty of river depth on the river Nene proper, once you'd got off the lock cuts !

 

The poor water quality (i.e. mainly from sewerage) and the hot sun means that this is a good year for weed. Some of the lock cuts on the upper Nen(e) were pretty bad for surface weed and those huge mattress-sized chunks that grow on the bottom - these mainly affect deep draft boats. The Middle Levels were also pretty bad - the MLC's need to get some bigger weed boats the size of combine harvesters !

 

The Middle Level level at March was down about 6". Some of the local boaters at March couldn't get onto their end-of-garden moorings, so were mooring on the 48hr mooring at the Ship Inn in March instead. So there was very limited space at the Ship Inn mooring in March.

 

Ralph

[enigmatic]

Middle Level at March already seemed shallow enough to actually impede progress earlier in the summer, so I'm guessing it's not much more fun to navigate than find a mooring there

 

For people travelling the other way, the Old West River is well down but isn't as bad to navigate as some people seem to think it is. Rest of the Great Ouse is low but fine.

[Athy]

Here at Upwell the water level appears normal. I took three canfuls out to water our river garden this morning, which may have lowered it a bit.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, Athy said:

I took three canfuls out to water our river garden this morning, which may have lowered it a bit.

Do you have an extraction licence? 🙂

[Alway Swilby]

5 hours ago, Athy said:

Here at Upwell the water level appears normal. I took three canfuls out to water our river garden this morning, which may have lowered it a bit.

It's ok. We'll fill with water at the town moorings tomorrow so that should more than cover the amount you took out! 🙂

[Alway Swilby]

On 15/08/2022 at 12:20, fladda said:

The Middle Level level at March was down about 6". Some of the local boaters at March couldn't get onto their end-of-garden moorings, so were mooring on the 48hr mooring at the Ship Inn in March instead. So there was very limited space at the Ship Inn mooring in March.

 

Ralph

Three visiting narrowboats are moored on the Ship Inn moorings in March this evening (17/8). It's been a bit weedy after coming down Marmot Priory Lock but not too bad.

[enigmatic]

8 minutes ago, Alway Swilby said:

It's been a bit weedy after coming down Marmot Priory Lock but not too bad.

Think I opened my weed hatch half a dozen times in a mile around there yesterday. Maybe I cleared it for you