water levels

[CJR]

The water levels are rising dangerously high here in belturbet ireland, another foot or so and the jetties will be floating off downstream taking with them most of the hire fleet boats. This could be record high levels, the Shannon and Erne both flooded and with more rain on the way.post some photos later.Dont know what is like on the Grand canal , is it as bad in England?

[tomsk]

The water levels are rising dangerously high here in belturbet ireland, another foot or so and the jetties will be floating off downstream taking with them most of the hire fleet boats. This could be record high levels, the Shannon and Erne both flooded and with more rain on the way.post some photos later.Dont know what is like on the Grand canal , is it as bad in England?

 

 

 

It is fine at the moment, some bad weather forcast and the usual doom-mongers predicting armageddon but with our scuba gear, rubber duckies, swan pedaloes and our staunch British pluck we will rise above Noahs latest flood.

[Naughty Cal]

Its fine where i am at the minute tucked up on the second floor of my nice warm office in Sheffield, however outside is a little blowy to say the least. Although no rain as yet.

 

Cal is tucked up on her marina berth in Lincoln so no problems there, the flood gates are still open on the marina so cant be that bad there either.

 

As far as i know York and other areas surrounding the Ouse are on Flood alert, but the Trent waters have receeded.

[CJR]

The water level has risen by 8-9 feet and still rising,by the way what does that noah fella look like?Just asking because theres some fella with a big wooden boat on the opposite bank loading 2 cows 2horses

[Sir Nibble]

I find water levels droppind at the rate of about 1 inch per year regardless of weather! It looks like the K&A is being closed by instalments.

[tomsk]

The water level has risen by 8-9 feet and still rising,by the way what does that noah fella look like?Just asking because theres some fella with a big wooden boat on the opposite bank loading 2 cows 2horses

 

 

Odd looking cove with a matted beard and Dog fearing attitude.

[Timleech]

In England, Cumbria seems to be the place not to be just at the moment.

 

Tim

[Laurie Booth]

In England, Cumbria seems to be the place not to be just at the moment.

 

Tim

England's not to be the place to be at the moment.

[Smudge]

The water level has risen by 8-9 feet and still rising,by the way what does that noah fella look like?Just asking because theres some fella with a big wooden boat on the opposite bank loading 2 cows 2horses

You mean you dont know didnt you ever watch nutty noah and niggly nelly on kids tv

[alan_fincher]

The water levels are rising dangerously high here in belturbet ireland, another foot or so and the jetties will be floating off downstream taking with them most of the hire fleet boats. This could be record high levels, the Shannon and Erne both flooded and with more rain on the way.post some photos later.Dont know what is like on the Grand canal , is it as bad in England?

We could gratefully do with some of your excess water in the summit level of the lower Grand Union right now, (or more accurately in the reservoirs intended to feed it).

 

It's many years since I have seen things looking so sickly, and I rather fear that the warnings that BW are giving about likely restrictions on movement next year are more than just bluster.

 

Whatever people think, I believe it has been an unusually dry summer, and it may not be long because some other canals see restrictions as a result.

[Naughty Cal]

Take some of our water please.

 

It certainly has not been dry where we are this year.

[koukouvagia]

We could gratefully do with some of your excess water in the summit level of the lower Grand Union right now, (or more accurately in the reservoirs intended to feed it).

 

And Cowroast lock leaking like a sieve doesn't help.

[Grasshopper]

Whatever people think, I believe it has been an unusually dry summer

 

That isn't what the Met Office say:

 

The UK summer rainfall was above normal, but the three months had contrasting patterns. June was drier than normal in most areas, with less than 30% of average in Cornwall and parts of south-east England. July was much wetter than normal, with over 200% of average widely; for England and Wales it was the wettest July on record in a series back to 1914. In August the wettest weather was focussed on Northern Ireland, western Scotland and Cumbria. Summer overall was wetter than normal in most areas, particularly the Scottish Borders and parts of northern England, with the drier exceptions being in East Anglia and south-east England.

 

There were 42 days with rain over the UK during the summer, very similar to the rain-days in summers 2008 and 2007. In a series from 1961, the highest number is 49 days in summer 1985. In terms of UK rainfall amount, the summers 2007 to 2009 combined are the wettest consecutive three in a series from 1914 with 997 mm, more than the summers 1956 to 1958 (978 mm).

 

So I think any problems are likely to be localised.

[koukouvagia]

We could gratefully do with some of your excess water in the summit level of the lower Grand Union right now, (or more accurately in the reservoirs intended to feed it).

 

Also I think there's some problem with transferring water between the reservoirs - at least that's what a local BW chap told me the other day.

I wonder if BW is missing the expertise of Gavin, who used to be the local guru and knew all there was to know about the complicated water management of the Tring reservoirs?

[alan_fincher]

That isn't what the Met Office say:

 

 

 

So I think any problems are likely to be localised.

Fair coimment, if that's what Met Office say.....

 

BW's slant on the situation is this (from stoppage list).....

 

19 Oct 2009 until further notice

 

Advice: Water Saving Measures - Marsworth Area

Associated Regional Office: BW South-East

 

Following a prolonged period of dry weather, the reservoirs used to supply the Tring Summit and Aylesbury Arm are currently below the expected level for this time of year. The long term forecast is for a dry winter so water demand to supply the canal is likely to continue in the near future with little prospect of refill in the short term. Looking to next year we need to protect our water supplies in order to ensure that we can meet demand.

 

In order to limit demand British Waterways will be implementing THRIFT (British Waterway’s Water Saving Campaign) procedures on the Marsworth Flight and would request that boats only navigate the Aylesbury Arm if your trip is absolutely essential. If you do use the Aylesbury Arm please ensure that all gates and paddles are closed when you leave the lock.

 

These actions will allow British Waterways to minimise the water required to support the Aylesbury Arm and thus maximise the supply to the Tring Summit, which will remain open for the duration of the Winter Stoppage, and ensure that the reservoirs are in the best possible position for next years cruising session.

 

Thank you for your co-operation.

 

(Enquiries: 01908 302500)

Sadly they are not inventing this.....

 

Even to the untrained eye the reservoirs are well short of normal levels, and if we get the drier than normal winter they are also predicting, I would not be at all surprised to see water restriction measures put in place again during next summer.

 

We have boated approaching 80 days this year, with first serious trip in April, taking us anywhere between the Thames and Middlewich and Anderton.

 

We may just have been "lucky", but I can't ever remember having such a small percentage of wet days. Obviously there has been a lot of rain on the days we were not on the boat!

[Naughty Cal]

You have just been lucky i assume. We have witnessed some very wet periods. Luckily we have picked the right weeks to have as holiday on the boat but in between holidays it has been rough.

[alan_fincher]

And Cowroast lock leaking like a sieve doesn't help.

Stoppage that was to be at the Gas locks appears to have been replaced with one at Cow Roast.....

 

06 - 22 Jan 2010

 

Stoppage: Lock 46, Cowroast Lock

Associated Regional Office: South East Waterways

 

Lock gate repairs.

Wind above Lock 46 or below Lock 53.

 

(Enquiries: 01908 302500)

 

Don't you just love how stoppage notices tell you to wind south of Lock 53 (Broadwater by Berkhamsted Station, but all official BW cruising guides, (and Nicholson's), continue to pretend there isn't a 70 foot winding hole at that point?

[Batavia]

We could gratefully do with some of your excess water in the summit level of the lower Grand Union right now, (or more accurately in the reservoirs intended to feed it).

 

It's many years since I have seen things looking so sickly, and I rather fear that the warnings that BW are giving about likely restrictions on movement next year are more than just bluster.

 

Whatever people think, I believe it has been an unusually dry summer, and it may not be long because some other canals see restrictions as a result.

The strange thing is that until a couple of weeks ago, there had been more water flowing through Berkhamsted in the mighty River Bulbourne than I can recall for many, many years. Perhaps it all originated from the leaking gates at Cowroast?

 

However, despite the recent rain, the flow has dropped noticeably over the past two weeks. Most mysterious.

 

Chris G

[alan_fincher]

The strange thing is that until a couple of weeks ago, there had been more water flowing through Berkhamsted in the mighty River Bulbourne than I can recall for many, many years. Perhaps it all originated from the leaking gates at Cowroast?

 

However, despite the recent rain, the flow has dropped noticeably over the past two weeks. Most mysterious.

 

Chris G

Indeed,

 

Such circumstances always lead to the "don't use the Aylesbury Arm unless you really really must" line too.

 

Yet even if the summit is low, you never seem to get more than about three locks down the Arm, (at any time you are allowed there), withough fighting with water literally cascading over gates.

 

It's not surprising that those of us not involved in water management get confused!

 

That said, I'll swear there were padlocks on the top lock ofthe Aylesbury arm when we passed the other day, and I assumed it was a routine stoppage. I can't immediately see any total stoppage on Waterscape - perhaps I'm being blind ?

[nb Innisfree]

Trouble is rain needs to be the 'right sort' (sounds like BR) i.e. continuous and steady to keep water tables up, if it's shorter periods of heavy rain it will just run off dry ground and into water courses and away to the sea.

Edited November 19, 2009 by nb Innisfree

[magpie patrick]

That isn't what the Met Office say:

 

 

 

So I think any problems are likely to be localised.

 

South East England is hardly "localised"

 

And certainly in Bath (which is not the South East) a wet day has been worthy of comment until the last few weeks. We got rather used to assuming it wasn't raining. Not as dry as 2006, when the Avon at Bathampton ran almost dry, but not wet.

 

edited to add: the Avon was unnavigable yesterday though. too much water,but we;ve had one of the wettest weeks I can remember

Edited November 19, 2009 by magpie patrick

[CJR]

Here are a couple of pix as promised. Still rising .....

 

This Corraquill Lock on the Woodford River - the gates are under there somewhere!

 

 

and this is Derryvore jetty on Upper Lough Erne - the fixed jetty is somewhere near the lifebelt in the distance!

 

 

I think the sign says it all...

[Naughty Cal]

Sorry to say there is more on the way

[magpie patrick]

Here are a couple of pix as promised. Still rising .....

 

This Corraquill Lock on the Woodford River - the gates are under there somewhere!

 

 

Hmmm, how do you get at the card reader and control panel then? There's not enough water to go over the lock...

[Ange]

We travelled up from just below Milton Keynes to Chorley at the end of June. We had glorious weather until we reached the Manchester area - from then on I don't think we had one day when it didn't tip down at some point! When we visited Kent at the end of August the fields were parched and brown - in Lancashire everything was green & lush - one advantage of being wetter I suppose.

 

At the same time we noticed that the levels on the L&L were really low - we struggled to moor most of the time. It was difficult to reconcile the persistant downpour of wet stuff out of the sky and the low levels on the canal.