Boaters race against clock as drained canals close

[Ray T]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8n5615xq6o?at_campaign=latest_from_your_followed_topics&at_link_origin=for_you_content&at_medium=BBC_Products

[cuthound]

56 minutes ago, Ray T said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8n5615xq6o?at_campaign=latest_from_your_followed_topics&at_link_origin=for_you_content&at_medium=BBC_Products

 

Blimey, I've been included in this article with quotes and photos from my recent TV appearance!

[MtB]

Its astonishing given we had (heavy) rain every day from Christmas until Easter down here, and all the reservoirs were brim-full at the beginning of May. 

[nicknorman]

3 hours ago, MtB said:

Its astonishing given we had (heavy) rain every day from Christmas until Easter down here, and all the reservoirs were brim-full at the beginning of May. 

I heard (could be false rumour) that CRT have not been running the backpumps at Napton, Calcut etc at all this year to save money on electricity.

Edited August 1 by nicknorman

[ditchcrawler]

Well we came through Hawkesbury this morning and it looks like a proper lock. The North Oxford below Hillmorton is OK  

[b00ke23]

5 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

Blimey, I've been included in this article with quotes and photos from my recent TV appearance!

 

I’m disappointed they didn’t address you by your proper title…..Mr Cuthound Esq!

[MtB]

8 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I heard (could be false rumour) that CRT have not been running the backpumps at Napton, Calcut etc at all this year to save money on electricity.

 

Wot no solar panels??!! !

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Wot no solar panels??!! !

 

 

Hydroelectric turbines in the bywashes. To run the pump harder and backpump more, just let more water through! 😛

[IanM]

17 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I heard (could be false rumour) that CRT have not been running the backpumps at Napton, Calcut etc at all this year to save money on electricity.

Calcutt pumps were definitely running when we went past in April. 

[Stroudwater1]

I’m not sure I buy that rumour either as didn’t CRT get considerable amount of work done last year including divers in to solve the problem. Suspect someone’s extended last years issue,  Chinese whispered it till it becomes not working this year due to cost. 
 

If CRT were cost cutting the pump would have been on a to do list from last year. I don’t think the operators on the Braunston level would put up with it not working nor Calcut boats. 

[blackrose]

21 hours ago, MtB said:

Its astonishing given we had (heavy) rain every day from Christmas until Easter down here, and all the reservoirs were brim-full at the beginning of May. 

 

And by November there will probably be flooding everywhere....

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, IanM said:

Calcutt pumps were definitely running when we went past in April. 

So are Hillmorton, right now, not just at night 

[robtheplod]

On 01/08/2026 at 11:36, MtB said:

Its astonishing given we had (heavy) rain every day from Christmas until Easter down here, and all the reservoirs were brim-full at the beginning of May. 

so the big problem CRT have is storage...... can they add more resevoirs?  

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, robtheplod said:

so the big problem CRT have is storage...... can they add more resevoirs?  

 

As the water companies seem incapable, I don't see why anyone would consider that CaRT can. It is not only the cost, but given a site, which is more vital, water for domestic and commercial consumption or to fill canals.

[robtheplod]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

As the water companies seem incapable, I don't see why anyone would consider that CaRT can. It is not only the cost, but given a site, which is more vital, water for domestic and commercial consumption or to fill canals.

So im assuming this didnt occur in the canals hayday with working boats up and down constantly?  if thats the case is the issue now that more water is extracted for domestic use?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

3 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

So im assuming this didnt occur in the canals hayday with working boats up and down constantly?  if thats the case is the issue now that more water is extracted for domestic use?

And climate change. The summer has been hot and dry. Happens much more often than in the working boat prime. They had droughts thst stopped boats working, but not so regularly. Also much traffic was coal, which is partly seasonal for heating, as well as for year round industrial use, so fewer boat movements in summer and more in winter. The opposite of modern usage. It isn't just lock usage. Water is still evaporating from the surface of canals, rivers and reservoirs in hot weather, even if the locks are chained and ashed up. 

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, robtheplod said:

So im assuming this didnt occur in the canals hayday with working boats up and down constantly?  if thats the case is the issue now that more water is extracted for domestic use?

 

The reservoirs were built by private money and mainly under the act of parliament that authorised the building of the canal. Many local landowners saw profit from canals so were probably happy to help the canals they held shares in to expand their water supply by selling the companies suitable land. The local peasants did not get a say and neither did any local councils, especially as they were stuffed with local landowners.

 

Today the political and financial situation is totally different. Local people and councils can oppose the building of reservoirs at every step of the way, although recent law changes may help on that front, and even if CaRT could overcome that hurdle they still need to find the money. If you think any government will provide it I think that you are deluded, so that means it has to come from the licence payers. How would you react to a 100-fold licence increase because building a reservoir seems to cost billions.

 

It also seems that the EA has the power to limit the amount of water CaRT can extract from the environment, so that presents a further hurdle.

[Arthur Marshall]

42 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

so the big problem CRT have is storage...... can they add more resevoirs?  

It seems that most reservoirs are, since Todbrook, now being filled to less than capacity due to safety reasons. They are, after all, as old as the canals and have been mostly ignored for centuries. The T&M problems have largely been caused by Todbrook being off line and another reservoir where the feeder isn't working due to lack of maintenance. Whether the current second source is the same one that wasn't working a couple of years ago because of a blocked culvert I don't know, but it does seem that the water supply failures are only noticed when it stops raining, in other words, nobody checks them on a regular (or even an irregular )basis.

[MtB]

36 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Water is still evaporating from the surface of canals, rivers and reservoirs in hot weather, even if the locks are chained and ashed up. 

 

This effect of this is hard to judge/quantify/get a feel for but I have a 50 litre flexi-tub full of water in my garden, in a shady place. I need to maintain the level in it because it is home to a couple of hundred goldfish fry!

 

So I'm needing to top it up every few days. The water level is dropping by about 6-10mm each day in this current weather, I'd estimate.

 

I'd imagine the canal system is suffering from water loss from evaporation at about the same rate. 

[Tonka]

Don't forget that CRT can't draw the reservoirs below a certain levels because they signed the right away when leasing the land to fishing clubs (Startops ressy for example) and where they have sold the reservoir (Chasewater for example) and nature reserves.

[Mike Tee]

I'd also imagine back in the early days when the canals were busy with carriers the system was a lot more efficient with far less loss due to the various leaks we have today. (Also probably better looked after by resident lock keepers and lengthsmen who knew what they were doing.)

[robtheplod]

34 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

It seems that most reservoirs are, since Todbrook, now being filled to less than capacity due to safety reasons. They are, after all, as old as the canals and have been mostly ignored for centuries. The T&M problems have largely been caused by Todbrook being off line and another reservoir where the feeder isn't working due to lack of maintenance. Whether the current second source is the same one that wasn't working a couple of years ago because of a blocked culvert I don't know, but it does seem that the water supply failures are only noticed when it stops raining, in other words, nobody checks them on a regular (or even an irregular )basis.

so its the same story as ever really - under investment..   filled below capacity at the one time they need to be at the max...

 

this is worrying going forward.. how can hire companies confidently take bookings for june/july/aug safe in the knowledge it will be possible?

[MtB]

42 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

It seems that most reservoirs are, since Todbrook, now being filled to less than capacity due to safety reasons.

 

Not Ladybower apparently!

 

 

Dunno if Ladybower feeds any canals but its magnificent to see! 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Not Ladybower apparently!

 

 

Dunno if Ladybower feeds any canals but its magnificent to see! 

 

 

Ladybower isn't a canal feeder, except at very far removed, where the River Derwent eventually meets the Trent at Shardlow and might then contribute something to flooding the Sawley cut.

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

so its the same story as ever really - under investment..   filled below capacity at the one time they need to be at the max...

 

this is worrying going forward.. how can hire companies confidently take bookings for june/july/aug safe in the knowledge it will be possible?

I suppose they can take bookings. Whether the bookers will get the holiday they expect I doubt. My son booked one last year and got his trip moved to an entirely different canal - not sure it mattered much.

We know there's been under investment for forty years. A bit like climate change, it's too late to reverse the damage now, it's a holding operation, patch up and crisis management for a managed decline. Us old farts have been lucky, pretty sure we (or at least me) have had the best of it. I don't think even IanD's (I  misquote for effect) idea of doubling the licence fee would make any difference. There simply isn't the money in the economy to fix it. Why that is, is for the politics forum!