Braunston Junction (and pound) low water levels

[Lily Rose]

 

Blimey!

 

Haven't heard this before in our 10 years.

 

I always thought one of the benefits of being in the area is not having to worry about low water levels.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0196fd9b-0eaf-7598-9d4d-01f6736633ee

 

[ditchcrawler]

I cant say I noticed when I came through today and at Hillmorton the back pumps weren't running and the water level as at the same level as the back pumping inlet 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

49 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Blimey!

 

Haven't heard this before in our 10 years.

 

I always thought one of the benefits of being in the area is not having to worry about low water levels.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0196fd9b-0eaf-7598-9d4d-01f6736633ee

 

Have to say that it does sound a bit odd. I could understand it if they were saying that water levels at Norton Junction were down, or the levels on the Oxford Summit above Napton were down but both of those pounds drain into the Braunston pound (where is the 'Braunston Summit' anyway? You go uphill out of Braunston to Braunston Tunnel so it's difficult to see Braunston Junction being on a 'summit').

[matty40s]

The GU Weedon pound has been down about 6" for over a week now,  some of the boats in Willow (High House)cant get out, and we struggled, just about to try and dig our way back in!!

[Lily Rose]

19 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Have to say that it does sound a bit odd. I could understand it if they were saying that water levels at Norton Junction were down, or the levels on the Oxford Summit above Napton were down but both of those pounds drain into the Braunston pound (where is the 'Braunston Summit' anyway? You go uphill out of Braunston to Braunston Tunnel so it's difficult to see Braunston Junction being on a 'summit').

 

I've always assumed Braunston summit means above the locks then over to Norton junction and on up to Watford flight. Though it's uphill then but it still seems to make more sense than the pound below the locks.

[MoominPapa]

Melaleuca is at our new mooring at Shuckborough, which is a bit short of depth. We got the boat last night and found her sitting pretty much flat on the mud with the level maybe four inches lower than the tide mark on the hull. Hoping they fix this otherwise we're going to need a snatch to get off the mud into the channel. Unexplained low pounds does seem to be a bit of an epidemic. I suspect the number of people on the ground sorting stuff out is much reduced.

 

MP.

[ditchcrawler]

17 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

Melaleuca is at our new mooring at Shuckborough, which is a bit short of depth. We got the boat last night and found her sitting pretty much flat on the mud with the level maybe four inches lower than the tide mark on the hull. Hoping they fix this otherwise we're going to need a snatch to get off the mud into the channel. Unexplained low pounds does seem to be a bit of an epidemic. I suspect the number of people on the ground sorting stuff out is much reduced.

 

MP.

I wondered if it was yours when I passed.

[Mike Tee]

That's why my boat is firmly sat on the bottom at Napton marina (I did give Harnser a wave as you went past the other day!).

We returned to the marina about a week ago and managed to get on the mooring but were scraping the bottom. Went over yesterday and another 3 or 4 inches of boat is now visible, so we aren't going anywhere in the immediate future.

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

That's why my boat is firmly sat on the bottom at Napton marina (I did give Harnser a wave as you went past the other day!).

We returned to the marina about a week ago and managed to get on the mooring but were scraping the bottom. Went over yesterday and another 3 or 4 inches of boat is now visible, so we aren't going anywhere in the immediate future.

I hope I waved back, i did to someone 

[magnetman]

It would be a bit nasty if the puddle banks breached. 

More likely to happen after heavy rain than in a drought but odd weather can do odd things.  

[MtB]

2 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

Unexplained low pounds does seem to be a bit of an epidemic.

 

Indeed. There seems to be a problem at Cropredy too, below Elkingtions Lock I think.. They are constantly letting water down the Claydon flight to keep the navigation open, acording to the TPT.

 

 

[Victor Vectis]

27 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I hope I waved back, i did to someone 

Didn't seem to be anyone in the umpteen times I passed recently.

 

The Oxford summit was 7" down yesterday.

Not helped by someone leaving the paddles up on the lock below Slat Mill the other day.

Soooooo glad I tied up above the lock.

Talked to a hire boat this morning saying they were delayed getting the boat back to Kate's Boats by being 15th in a 20 boat queue below the drained pound.

[James Owen]

And just think, if the canals were dredged properly we'd all now be afloat...crazy eh?

[Victor Vectis]

Yeahbut......if there ain't no water anyway.

[Stroudwater1]

7 minutes ago, James Owen said:

And just think, if the canals were dredged properly we'd all now be afloat...crazy eh?

Point well made generally. Sadly no amount of dredging will rectify boaters leaving paddles up. There seems to be more of this especially with them not fully let down but enough not to be obvious. 

[magnetman]

To be fair the canals were originally put in with quite a lot of surplus depth to deal with problems and the trading Boats were deeper. 

 

Logical outcome is a bit like the china thing one puts under the teacup and occasionally sees flying through the air helmed by aliens. 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

30 minutes ago, James Owen said:

And just think, if the canals were dredged properly we'd all now be afloat...crazy eh?

Thats right, how a loss of 6" of water can cause boats to drag in the mud when you would expect at least 4'6" of water 

[dixi188]

My boat is in Fenny Compton marina on the summit level. If it sits on the bottom there will be big problems as the water is about 7 or 8ft. deep.

I hope the management will slacken the mooring ropes if the level falls as I can't visit for at least a month due to other things going on.

[matty40s]

56 minutes ago, James Owen said:

And just think, if the canals were dredged properly we'd all now be afloat...crazy eh?

The GU hasnt been dredged properly in decades 

[Jon57]

35 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The GU hasnt been dredged properly in decades 

Well I've done a bit of plough dredging today. Moored up 2 foot from the bank at cosgrove. 😁

[ditchcrawler]

This was the bridge at the end of the puddle bank as we came through today. the level will be a bit depressed by our boat moving. I am guessing the iron would normally be the level 

 

[matty40s]

To be honest, the determination to get Crick show go ahead has over-ridden any water saving needs in the Midlands. The reservoirs around may be fairly OK, but no other water flow into the canals usual at this time of year is contributing anything at all.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

I've always assumed Braunston summit means above the locks then over to Norton junction and on up to Watford flight. Though it's uphill then but it still seems to make more sense than the pound below the locks.

It's the summit of the Grand Junction Canal / Grand Union Canal Main Line. The Leicester Line locks up from the Main Line summit.

[Llamedos]

Saw this yesterday too. We were heading over to our boat tomorrow - it's at Ventnor Marina just above Calcutt Locks. Our plans were to head for The Ashby mid-week and spend a week or two over that way. Looks like those plans are in tatters now. This will be the pattern for the whole summer I'm guessing. Oh joy!

 

What's the situation with the hire boats at Napton @Mike Tee are they still going out or stuck there like you?

[GUMPY]

It's time travel back 50 years.

1975 and 1976 were both bad on the GU.

How long before locks are closed in inappropriate places.