Flooding again

[Gary Peacock]

Over the last hour the river Calder has risen about three feet and is rising rapidly so if you are moored on the river it might be time for a visit to the boat.

[Gary Peacock]

Really bad now worse than it was at it's highest in last years floods so it looks like we might be going for the record this time!

[Janet S]

How are you doing over there Gary?

 

My local River Calder (a tributary of the River Ribble) is over its banks in the town centre, and gushing through like molten chocolate. It's already several feet above normal level, and has risen by possibly another foot since this morning.

 

No fishing today then!

 

Janet

[Gary Peacock]

How are you doing over there Gary?

 

My local River Calder (a tributary of the River Ribble) is over its banks in the town centre, and gushing through like molten chocolate. It's already several feet above normal level, and has risen by possibly another foot since this morning.

 

No fishing today then!

 

Janet

 

 

It is getting really serious the water is now over the 100 year flood plain (Ie EA say once in a hundred years chance of flooding.) and we have the worst flood since 1946!

 

We could end up with a boat in the car park if it comes up another foot.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Gary Peacock

[Hekaterine]

Or a car in the boat park...

[stuart]

Save you the cost of a crane

 

Any photos?

[Gary Peacock]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole valley floor is now flooded we might have to consider getting out soon.

[Yoda]

Good time to practise river work. Turning against the current, drifting onto a mooring and finding out how good you are with an anchor.

 

Edit to say that anyone near Wales should be panning for gold.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Yoda

[Lee J]

Gary,

 

I'm not too far away, do you need any help?

 

Lee

[Gary Peacock]

Gary,

 

I'm not too far away, do you need any help?

 

Lee

 

We seem to be OK for the moment if it doesn't come up any further we can only do with the boat what we can now it seems fairly safe but we will have to be very careful when the water starts to go down!

 

Anyway thanks for the offer, if it gets worse we will start firing of the flares!

 

Those downstream must be a lot worse off than we are.

[RichardH]

Blimey - I grew up in Mirfield and have never seen the Calder as wide as this.

 

The highest I have seen it in recent years was when we moored at Fairies Hill near Castleford and the lock entering the cut was virtually underwater.

[Lee J]

We seem to be OK for the moment if it doesn't come up any further we can only do with the boat what we can now it seems fairly safe but we will have to be very careful when the water starts to go down!

 

Anyway thanks for the offer, if it gets worse we will start firing of the flares!

 

Those downstream must be a lot worse off than we are.

 

I'll keep my eye on the site. Offer remains open if you need it

 

Lee

[Chris J W]

Got the webcams on, Gary?

[Gary Peacock]

Got the webcams on, Gary?

 

Unfortunatly there pointing the wrong way at the moment.

 

The rail way is now closed and they are evacuating people out of the houses just downstream.

[Chris J W]

Unfortunatly there pointing the wrong way at the moment.

 

The rail way is now closed and they are evacuating people out of the houses just downstream.

 

Oh, that really doesn't sound fun. Good luck up there!

[Janet S]

Gary, is that the same boat that you showed us round when we came up for the Northern banter?

 

Flaming heck! We had to go DOWN those steps to get on board.

 

You appear to have rather a large amount of water there!

 

Good luck.

 

Janet

[Gary Peacock]

Gary, is that the same boat that you showed us round when we came up for the Northern banter?

 

Flaming heck! We had to go DOWN those steps to get on board.

 

You appear to have rather a large amount of water there!

 

Good luck.

 

Janet

 

Yes same one the levels probly 6ft plus up on normal.

[Gary Peacock]

Bit of video HERE

 

Seems to have stopped rising for the moment.

[blackrose]

Someone should put some decent rope on that boat before that thin blue PP stuff snaps and it floats away!

 

(Or perhaps not as it would be too dangerous to go anywhere near that riverbank at the moment.)

Edited January 21, 2008 by blackrose

[AlanH]

Yes same one the levels probly 6ft plus up on normal.

Must be about 6 or 7 years ago when a boat broke loose from outside your premises (I think before you were there), went over the weir, got jammed under a bridge and sank. Unfortunately the owner had just changed insurers and even though the new insurers had cashed his cheque they would not pay out. The £10,000 he got for the wreck just about paid for the recovery of the boat.

 

I notice that on Radio 4 the river Colne in Huddersfield was said to be in a dasngerous state.

[charles123]

Gary as I recall they built some houses/apartments not far down from your place on the opposite bank recently, they apeared to have banked up the earth round them as precaution, are they anywhere near getting wet?

 

Charles

[Adam]

I only have a vague description but at Wakefield there is no weir to be seen and the water is touching the top of the bridge. There's a rowing boat stuck against the weir boom aswel (that's probably gone now). I think the boat is the guy who has about 5 or 6 and moors against two trees just up the river from Thornes lock (Towards the weir).

[tobytimothy]

Hi Gary, sorry to hear flood waters may cause you a problem. Reports indicate that its the river Calder where the problems are but just wondered if the pub we all met at (for the banter), is experiencing any flooding as a remember it was only a few feet above the canal. any info?

[debbifiggy]

Unfortunatly there pointing the wrong way at the moment.

 

The rail way is now closed and they are evacuating people out of the houses just downstream.

Tried to get hold of both the BW finance lot and the Yorkshire office today (both at Fearns Wharf, Leeds) but no doings as the office had been evacuated and all workers sent home or to other offices due to the flooding on the River Aire. Hope everyone up there ok and boats secure and safe. Thinking of all of you across the country who are dealing with flood conditions. Fingers crossed for everything coming through safely.

D

[Dr Bradley]

Just found out that the Calder has flooded my allotment. There goes all my winter crops, even if they are still there they won't be fit to eat. This has not happened in 30 years. Last time I remember was 1963 with a massive snow melt and torrental rain.

 

OK it's not boating.