Macclesfied Canal

[NB Saturn]

Advice

Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals

Details

Type: Advice
Waterway(s): Macclesfield Canal, Peak Forest Canal
From: 11 August 2025, 11:47am
To: On-going
Region: North West
Reason: Low Water Levels
Subject to review on: 25 August 2025

Locations

Location 1

Closest waterway: Macclesfield Canal
Starts at: Bridge 1, Junction Side Bridge
Ends at: Aqueduct 10, Red Bull Aqueduct

Location 2

Closest waterway: Peak Forest Canal
Starts at: Bridge 1, Stanley Lift Bridge
Ends at: Bridge 38, Whaley Bridge

Description

Original 11 August 2025, 11:57am

 

As you will be aware, we've been experiencing an extended period of dry weather across the region. The reservoirs that supply the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals are now at extremely low levels.

Our team is working to manage the situation as responsibly and carefully as possible. With little prospect of substantial rain in the short to medium forecast, we're now putting contingency plans into action to prioritise boater safety and ensure access to essential facilities as we continue to make the most efficient use of the water we have remaining.

We may soon have to introduce temporary navigation closures on some stretches of the canal and install stop planks to conserve water in key areas where boats can remain safely moored. We understand how frustrating navigation restrictions are and want to reassure you that this is not a decision that's taken lightly. However, it's a necessary step to protect the long-term sustainability of the network and continue supporting boaters in these areas.

To help you prepare, we strongly encourage all boaters to start making plans now. This includes:

• Emptying waste tanks
• Filling up water and fuel tanks
• Stocking up on essential supplies
• Considering relocating your boat to areas with services, such as Bosley or Whaley Bridge, where we are aiming to retain water levels, or returning your boat to your marinas.

For customers moored or navigating on the Macclesfield Canal between Bosley Locks and the junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal

Due to reduced water feeds to this section, water levels along this section will now start to get lower and eventually stabilise to match the level of the Trent & Mersey Canal. as it may become lower it will be unsafe to navigate this section.

Over the next week, we strongly encourage all boaters in this area to follow these instructions.

• Emptying waste tanks
• Filling up water and fuel tanks
• Stocking up on essential supplies
• Mooring customers to regularly check and slacken their mooring lines.
• For those visiting or cruising in the area, we recommend making your way to alternative navigations or moving closer to essential facilities.

We want to give everyone as much time as possible to make informed decisions and adjust plans before any navigation closures take place and will keep you updated with the latest news, guidance, and information through our notices and other channels over the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for further announcements.

If you have an existing Equality Adjustment in place which does not allow you to follow the advice provided in this stoppage notice, please contact the Trust.

Thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding, and support during these challenging times as we continue to do everything, we can to protect the canals and support our boating community through this period.

Information

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/019898bd-f080-7846-9fc1-81f1cabfb94c

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, NB Saturn said:

water levels along this section will now start to get lower and eventually stabilise to match the level of the Trent & Mersey Canal.

That'll be a foot down then, maybe a bit more. 

Edited August 11, 2025 by Arthur Marshall

[Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch]

There is talk that CaRT is going to section off the Macclesfield canal with stop plank due to the low water levels.

Can anyone confirm this?

Bugsworth Basin has already been done.

Edited August 12, 2025 by Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch

[Orwellian]

Why not ask CRT rather than just encouraging more talk? 

[Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch]

14 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

Why not ask CRT rather than just encouraging more talk? 

True, point taken 

Edited August 12, 2025 by Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch

[Chris T]

Yes, they've issued a notice confirming this which was posted in the forum under the heading 'Macclesfield Canal's. 

[Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch]

59 minutes ago, Chris T said:

Yes, they've issued a notice confirming this which was posted in the forum under the heading 'Macclesfield Canal's. 

Thanks spoke to 

CaRT ..say stop planks will be at Bridges 45 & 28

The section below Bosley locks will drop to the same level as the T&M😬

Edited August 12, 2025 by Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch

[Jen-in-Wellies]

I have merged the two topics on this subject. 

Jen

[Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch]

10 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I have merged the two topics on this subject. 

Jen

Thanks Jen

 

50 minutes ago, Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch said:

Thanks spoke to 

CaRT ..say stop planks will be at Bridges 45 & 28

The section below Bosley locks will drop to the same level as the T&M below Green Hall  Stop Lock 13😬

 

[Arthur Marshall]

I'm hoping for a seriously wet winter. If I recall rightly, CRT were expecting Todbrook to refill over it. Otherwise I can see the Macc shut all next year.

[Ewan123]

Meanwhile Marple flight top-lock is still leaking water. It was barely a trickle when they first closed the flight (ashed up) but ever since it was briefly unlocked a few days later (never did find out why) it's back to the usual flow. I have reported to CRT. I've also asked whether they would try and keep Marple in water with planks, as the other main facilities location where they've encouraged mooring recently by lifting the visitor mooring restrictions.

[JoeC]

1 hour ago, Ewan123 said:

Meanwhile Marple flight top-lock is still leaking water. It was barely a trickle when they first closed the flight (ashed up) but ever since it was briefly unlocked a few days later (never did find out why) it's back to the usual flow. I have reported to CRT. I've also asked whether they would try and keep Marple in water with planks, as the other main facilities location where they've encouraged mooring recently by lifting the visitor mooring restrictions.

I also reported the leak to CRT this morning.

 

I was told by somebody who works on the trip boat that CRT chained the lock but then somebody cut the chain off and presumes that they took a boat down the locks but cannot confirm this. CRT re-chained the lock but guessing they did not think of re-ashing it.

 

As for the lock leaking water - it is small compared to the bywash from the marina next door that goes into the pound for lock 16 - you can hear the water gushing along the bywash through a house garden when you walk across the lock towards Marple Social & Forces Club. At least I think it is a bywash.

[TheBiscuits]

38 minutes ago, JoeC said:

As for the lock leaking water - it is small compared to the bywash from the marina next door that goes into the pound for lock 16 - you can hear the water gushing along the bywash through a house garden when you walk across the lock towards Marple Social & Forces Club. At least I think it is a bywash.

 

We recently had an issue on the L&L where the level boards on a weir had failed, leaving a pound alarmingly low.  If you're in the area, see if you can see the inlet at the marina.  If it's running lots of water when the level is low then it might be this or it may be a geared sluice paddle set in the wrong position.

 

Either way it may want reporting to CRT, preferably by email so it ends up with the correct team.  If it's in the marina itself the local operatives might not have seen it.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2025 by TheBiscuits
Stupid mobile phone

[Ewan123]

Reply from CRT (with my bold emphasis) regarding the leaky gate at Marple and suggestion by omission that Marple won't be kept in water:

 

"Good afternoon, 

 

Thank you for contacting us here at Canal & River Trust, North West. 

 

The team have been to site today to assess Marple Top Lock and to see what they can do further. 

 

With regard to the update that went out yesterday: Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals | Canal & River Trust

 

With the warm dry weather set to continue, we cannot guarantee stable water levels across the full length of the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals. We are now looking in to the below "safe havens" as areas where we are able to maintain water levels, should that decision need to be made.

 

• Between Bridge 45 and Bosley Top Lock on the Macclesfield Canal
• Between Bridge 28, New Mills area and Bridge 38, Whaley Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal

 

These areas have been primarily highlighted as this is where the feed from the reservoirs come in to, where there are vital services, and should we need it, are able to get emergency abstractions from nearby rivers. 

 

Once the planks are put in, we cannot guarantee suitable water levels along the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals outside of these areas, and they will be prone to experience severe fluctuations in water levels compared to the water within the above zones.

 

I appreciate this is not the answer you were hoping for, but we would urge you to follow this advice should the situation worsen and we need to implement these measures."

 

[JoeC]

23 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

Reply from CRT (with my bold emphasis) regarding the leaky gate at Marple and suggestion by omission that Marple won't be kept in water:

 

"Good afternoon, 

 

Thank you for contacting us here at Canal & River Trust, North West. 

 

The team have been to site today to assess Marple Top Lock and to see what they can do further. 

 

With regard to the update that went out yesterday: Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals | Canal & River Trust

 

With the warm dry weather set to continue, we cannot guarantee stable water levels across the full length of the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals. We are now looking in to the below "safe havens" as areas where we are able to maintain water levels, should that decision need to be made.

 

• Between Bridge 45 and Bosley Top Lock on the Macclesfield Canal
• Between Bridge 28, New Mills area and Bridge 38, Whaley Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal

 

These areas have been primarily highlighted as this is where the feed from the reservoirs come in to, where there are vital services, and should we need it, are able to get emergency abstractions from nearby rivers. 

 

Once the planks are put in, we cannot guarantee suitable water levels along the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals outside of these areas, and they will be prone to experience severe fluctuations in water levels compared to the water within the above zones.

 

I appreciate this is not the answer you were hoping for, but we would urge you to follow this advice should the situation worsen and we need to implement these measures."

 

A big omission from their update yesterday. No wonder why I am seeing a few boats move today. I am staying put near the CRT services in Marple.

[Ewan123]

17 minutes ago, JoeC said:

A big omission from their update yesterday. No wonder why I am seeing a few boats move today. I am staying put near the CRT services in Marple.

I'm leaning that way myself, largely because of proximity to our GP and hospital for childbirth in a couple of weeks(!). Currently devising plans for if the canal drains... get a stock of planks to chock up the channel-side of the boat and prevent the lean, or be ready to shove out into the channel for a level spot with a long gangplank!?

[Kingdom Isambard Brunel]

22 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

I'm leaning that way myself, largely because of proximity to our GP and hospital for childbirth in a couple of weeks(!). Currently devising plans for if the canal drains... get a stock of planks to chock up the channel-side of the boat and prevent the lean, or be ready to shove out into the channel for a level spot with a long gangplank!?

There are no level spots in the Macclesfield canal, only exactly in the middle, as it was dug saucer shaped

[JoeC]

3 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

We recently had an issue on the L&L where the level boards on a weir had failed, leaving a pound alarmingly low.  If you're in the area, see if you can see the inlet at the marina.  If it's running lots of water when the level is low then it might be this or it may be a geared sluice paddle set in the wrong position.

 

Either way it may want reporting to CRT, preferably by email so it ends up with the correct team.  If it's in the marina itself the local operatives might not have seen it.

 

 

Thanks for the info.

Spoke to somebody in Marple Marina ... it is a sluice gate and not a bywash and CRT come once a week to clear debris from it. I am not going to presume that these same CRT people would be concerned about the sluice gate and water going through it so I called CRT and made them aware. I just said that there is a lot of water going through it and maybe somebody forgot to close it. Over to them.

Edited August 12, 2025 by JoeC

[jam]

12 hours ago, Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch said:

There is talk that CaRT is going to section off the Macclesfield canal with stop plank due to the low water levels.

Can anyone confirm this?

Bugsworth Basin has already been done.

It is mentioned in the CRT report above.

[Arthur Marshall]

Lower Macc appears to be already at the T&M level, level is over a foot down. My boat is well on the bottom and unmovable. 

[JoeC]

On 12/08/2025 at 17:07, JoeC said:

Thanks for the info.

Spoke to somebody in Marple Marina ... it is a sluice gate and not a bywash and CRT come once a week to clear debris from it. I am not going to presume that these same CRT people would be concerned about the sluice gate and water going through it so I called CRT and made them aware. I just said that there is a lot of water going through it and maybe somebody forgot to close it. Over to them.

Spoke with CRT yesterday about something else and asked them for a update on the leaky lock and sluice.

The water is needed to flow through to the lower Peak canal - fair enough. However, I said that it does not look good on CRT that people are seeing a leaking lock during this time of water shortage and it would be a good CRT PR exercise if they ashed / stop planked the lock. This morning they are out ashing the lock.

[Chris T]

On 12/08/2025 at 08:57, Naartjie AKA Duck Hatch said:

CaRT ..say stop planks will be at Bridges 45 & 28

Our marina have been instructed by CRT to install stop planks before Monday. Our boat is still floating and the day boats were going past on the upper Macc today.

 

[Arthur Marshall]

I assumed the lower Macc had drained with the hire boats coming back to Heritage. I can't believe they'd be sending them out still, but there will be boats trying to get back to the marina.

[NB Saturn]

Further restrictions just announced:

 

Advice Update

Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals

Details

Type: Advice
Waterway(s): Macclesfield Canal, Peak Forest Canal
From: 11 August 2025, 11:47am
To: On-going
Region: North West
Reason: Low Water Levels
Subject to review on: 23 September 2025

Locations

Location 1

Closest waterway: Macclesfield Canal
Starts at: Bridge 1, Junction Side Bridge
Ends at: Aqueduct 10, Red Bull Aqueduct

Location 2

Closest waterway: Peak Forest Canal
Starts at: Bridge 1, Stanley Lift Bridge
Ends at: Bridge 38, Whaley Bridge

Descriptions

Update 20 August 2025, 10:45am

 

With the warm, dry weather continuing, the water levels within the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals continue to decline. It is now essential that we install stop planks on Tuesday 26 August at 9am at the locations listed below to protect the long-term sustainability of the network and continue supporting boaters in these areas.

The following areas have been highlighted as places where we have higher confidence in the ability to maintain water levels:

• Macclesfield Canal: Between Bridge 45 and Bosley Top Lock
• Peak Forest Canal: Between Bridge 28 (New Mills area) and Bridge 38 (Whaley Bridge)

In addition to higher confidence and likelihood of maintaining water levels following protection with stop planks, these areas benefit from the provision of vital services such as water supply and waste removal.

Water levels outside these areas will be prone to severe fluctuations. All customers moored outside of these areas should regularly check and slacken their mooring lines. Due to the basin-like shape of the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals, boats may need to be positioned slightly away from the canal side to remain level.

The water levels on the lower stretch of the Macclesfield Canal, below the Bosley Lock Flight, have now equalised with the Trent & Mersey Canal. However, customers in this area may still experience fluctuations.

If you have an existing Equality Adjustment in place which does not allow you to follow the advice provided in this stoppage notice, please contact the Trust for further guidance.

Thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding, and support during these challenging times. We are doing everything we can to protect the canals and support our boating community through this period. Our priority remains to reopen these canals to full navigation as soon as possible.

We are grateful for your continued support in reducing water use across our network and for reporting leaks or concerns via 0303 040 4040or our Contact Us page.

Original 11 August 2025, 11:57am

 

As you will be aware, we've been experiencing an extended period of dry weather across the region. The reservoirs that supply the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals are now at extremely low levels.

Our team is working to manage the situation as responsibly and carefully as possible. With little prospect of substantial rain in the short to medium forecast, we're now putting contingency plans into action to prioritise boater safety and ensure access to essential facilities as we continue to make the most efficient use of the water we have remaining.

We may soon have to introduce temporary navigation closures on some stretches of the canal and install stop planks to conserve water in key areas where boats can remain safely moored. We understand how frustrating navigation restrictions are and want to reassure you that this is not a decision that's taken lightly. However, it's a necessary step to protect the long-term sustainability of the network and continue supporting boaters in these areas.

To help you prepare, we strongly encourage all boaters to start making plans now. This includes:

• Emptying waste tanks
• Filling up water and fuel tanks
• Stocking up on essential supplies
• Considering relocating your boat to areas with services, such as Bosley or Whaley Bridge, where we are aiming to retain water levels, or returning your boat to your marinas.

For customers moored or navigating on the Macclesfield Canal between Bosley Locks and the junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal

Due to reduced water feeds to this section, water levels along this section will now start to get lower and eventually stabilise to match the level of the Trent & Mersey Canal. as it may become lower it will be unsafe to navigate this section.

Over the next week, we strongly encourage all boaters in this area to follow these instructions.

• Emptying waste tanks
• Filling up water and fuel tanks
• Stocking up on essential supplies
• Mooring customers to regularly check and slacken their mooring lines.
• For those visiting or cruising in the area, we recommend making your way to alternative navigations or moving closer to essential facilities.

We want to give everyone as much time as possible to make informed decisions and adjust plans before any navigation closures take place and will keep you updated with the latest news, guidance, and information through our notices and other channels over the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for further announcements.

If you have an existing Equality Adjustment in place which does not allow you to follow the advice provided in this stoppage notice, please contact the Trust.

Thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding, and support during these challenging times as we continue to do everything, we can to protect the canals and support our boating community through this period.

Information

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/019898bd-f080-7846-9fc1-81f1cabfb94c

[Mac of Cygnet]

"If you have an existing Equality Adjustment in place which does not allow you to follow the advice provided in this stoppage notice, please contact the Trust for further guidance."

 

What does this mean?