Drought

[DaveG]

This is a bit worrying for next year's boating prospects.

 

link

[Guest]

This is a bit worrying for next year's boating prospects.

 

link

Must be a regional thing. I took the dog a walk this morning over the local fields, and they were the wettest I have seen them for many a year.

[matty40s]

Must be a regional thing. I took the dog a walk this morning over the local fields, and they were the wettest I have seen them for many a year.

 

The Soar is the lowest it has been since 76. It is lower now than when I came across to it in July.There has been 1/2 a days proper rain in the last 2 months in Leicestershire. The reservoirs are empty.

[Guest]

The Soar is the lowest it has been since 76. It is lower now than when I came across to it in July.There has been 1/2 a days proper rain in the last 2 months in Leicestershire. The reservoirs are empty.

Yes we must be hoarding all the rain

 

I know other areas are struggling, and that the last two extremely icy winters and dry summers have taken their toll.

Edited November 17, 2011 by Guest

[ditchcrawler]

Flows on East Anglian rivers are about a third down from the norm or if I have it the wrong way round only a third of what they should be.

[Rebotco]

This is a bit worrying for next year's boating prospects.

 

link

Never mind next year! It has today been announced by BW that the K & A is now cut in half. All locks from 61 to 80 have already been padlocked and no indication when they will be opened again. This is entirely due inadequate water to support the waterway. Now I can't cruise anywhere much, wonder how much of the cruising licence they will refund me?

Brian.

[Guest]

This is a bit worrying for next year's boating prospects.

 

link

 

Given the Met office can't accurately forecast beyond 48 hours at best 72.. I ain't going to worry...

[Josher]

mmm ...

 

18 November 2011 Last updated at 12:03 BBC

 

Kennet and Avon Canal water levels lowest for 90 years. A 10-mile stretch of the Avon and Kennet Canal has been shut due to the lowest water levels in 90 years. The section that has been closed off runs from Crofton Lock 61 near Wilton, Wiltshire, to Copse Lock 80 between Kintbury and Newbury, Berkshire.

 

British Waterways said low ground water levels was a long-term problem and it would take some time to recover. The organisation is looking at ways to boost the water supply to the canal but said reservoir levels were also low. Canal boats that are trapped in this section have been told to adjust mooring ropes to accommodate the changes in water levels.

 

Those wishing to move will need to get permission from British Waterways first, as every time a boat moves from one section to another it takes with it a huge amount of water which can make the problem worse. The closed sections have been padlocked shut to prevent any further movement and help protect fish and other aquatic life.

[Athy]

Crofton? Famous for Crofton Pumping Station which pumps, er, water into the canal. Hmmm....

[arpeeuk]

Crofton? Famous for Crofton Pumping Station which pumps, er, water into the canal. Hmmm....

Yes Crofton, famous for the Crofton Pumping Station which pumps water from the pound below lock 59 to the top pound above lock 56 but which do not add any water to the system. The pound below lock 59 is fed from the Whilton Water reservoir that is mentioned in the stoppage announcement and that is apparently dangerously low.

 

Please also note that locks 55, 58,59 and 60 are closed until Christmas for re-gateing so in reality The K&A is closed from lock 54 to lock 80.

[Athy]

Oh dear: how will those continuous cruisers manage their fortnightly movements?

I'm sure that when we went round the pumping station a few years ago we were shown a water course which brought water into the station, but not from the canal.

[Dominic M]

Yup, it's gonna be a barbeque winter.

[14skipper]

Oh dear: how will those continuous cruisers manage their fortnightly movements?

 

Do what they always do,stay put.

 

14skipper

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Over the past decade British Waterways has made giant leaps in the technology which allows it to track and manage water levels. When combined with the expertise of well-practiced staff, British Waterways can keep restrictions and closures on our canals and rivers to a minimum using a variety of techniques.

 

Water control at British Waterways

 

A triumph of marketing over reality.

Edited November 19, 2011 by Allan(nb Albert)

[Ace 01]

Yes Crofton, famous for the Crofton Pumping Station which pumps water from the pound below lock 59 to the top pound above lock 56 but which do not add any water to the system. The pound below lock 59 is fed from the Whilton Water reservoir that is mentioned in the stoppage announcement and that is apparently dangerously low.

 

Please also note that locks 55, 58,59 and 60 are closed until Christmas for re-gateing so in reality The K&A is closed from lock 54 to lock 80.

 

A boater was interviewed on our local radio this morning and she was saying that she can't pump out or take on water, sounds desperate. The interviewer said that they could be closed until March !

 

Ann

[Dominic M]

Never mind next year! It has today been announced by BW that the K & A is now cut in half. All locks from 61 to 80 have already been padlocked and no indication when they will be opened again. This is entirely due inadequate water to support the waterway. Now I can't cruise anywhere much, wonder how much of the cruising licence they will refund me?

Brian.

 

Of course you won't get a refund. I remember it being closed from 1952 - 1991, and there was no discount on the licence then either.

[sueb]

Water control at British Waterways

 

A triumph of marketing over reality.

I heard that water engineers had been laid off.

Sue

[Josher]

It's official ...

 

UK Drought Next Summer 'Almost Inevitable' 8:40am UK, Thursday December 01, 2011 Sky News

 

A drought in the UK next summer is almost inevitable because rainfall in some parts of the country has been so low, the Government has warned. The Environment Department has said a huge swathe of south, central and eastern England is at high risk of severe water shortages if there is a drier than average winter. The area has suffered the driest year since records began, with just 70% of the long-term average rainfall.

 

Reservoirs and groundwater reserves are well below normal levels, and South East Water has applied for a drought order to increase the amount it takes from rivers. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said only several months of sustained rainfall can alleviate the shortage. She said: "Everyone has worked hard to stave off any threat of hosepipe bans this year and help keep our rivers flowing. Unfortunately if we have another dry winter, there is a high risk parts of the country will almost certainly be in drought next summer so it's vital we plan ahead to meet this challenge."

 

Weather forecasters say a ridge of high pressure has pushed the normal autumn storms away from the southern half of England. There is little sign of any significant rain for at least the next 10 days.

 

The Government fears a repeat of scenes like this next summer

 

In East Sussex, Ardingly Reservoir is just 12% full. If the dry spell continues, there is only enough water left to supply homes for another two months. It has asked for a permit to increase the amount of water it extracts from the River Ouse over the next six months. David Shore, South East Water operations director, told Sky News: "We are starting to think now about the possibility of restrictions on use next summer if we don't get a good amount of rainfall in what remains of the winter. "We have to think ahead and take action now to deal with the situation before it gets any worse."

 

Anglian Water has been issued with a drought permit to refill two of its reservoirs from rivers, and Severn Trent will have to apply for a permit to top up Tittesworth Reservoir if levels not rise naturally by the spring. The Environment Agency has urged farmers to plan ahead for irrigation needs this spring and warned water companies to step up leak detection. It also says households should use water sparingly.

[Boondock]

How as an island are we short of water?

 

You don't get these problems in mainland Spain or the Far East. Why? Proper investment in suitable infrastructure and desalination plants. The technology is with us but the people with the fore sight to put these into place are not. Cost? pah they've just announced a rethink on the new road proposals so the money is there and the benefit is to all industry.

 

It's not as if it's suddenly happened is it ? this has been on the cards for years, certainly since the late 1970's.

 

Boondock

Edited December 1, 2011 by Boondock

[KenK]

Yes Crofton, famous for the Crofton Pumping Station which pumps water from the pound below lock 59 to the top pound above lock 56 but which do not add any water to the system. The pound below lock 59 is fed from the Whilton Water reservoir that is mentioned in the stoppage announcement and that is apparently dangerously low.

 

Please also note that locks 55, 58,59 and 60 are closed until Christmas for re-gateing so in reality The K&A is closed from lock 54 to lock 80.

 

Crofton locks are due to open on 16th December. The electric pump which pumps the water up from Whilton Water pumps it above Crofton locks into the top pound. As the locks are being regated I suspect they turned it off, not much point pumping water when it can only go one way or overflow the banks, bit short of byewashes up there. Call me cynical but doesn't it sound so much better to blame the weather.

 

Ken

[Dalesman]

Plenty of water in Yorkshire so the Leeds & Liverpool should be OK. There is almost non stop rain in Scotland,so why can't they transfer water from the North to the South in the UK when they can pipe gas all the way from Russia and Norway..?

[Proper Job]

Crofton locks are due to open on 16th December. The electric pump which pumps the water up from Whilton Water pumps it above Crofton locks into the top pound. As the locks are being regated I suspect they turned it off, not much point pumping water when it can only go one way or overflow the banks, bit short of byewashes up there. Call me cynical but doesn't it sound so much better to blame the weather.

 

Ken

Sorry Ken, but I've got to disagree with you here.

 

Anyone who lives in central/southern England will know that we've had relatively bugger all rain for ages.

 

I've been surprised that we had as fewer restrictions as we have/had.

[carlt]

How as an island are we short of water?

Because our wonderful water companies leak more water than they supply.

[Proper Job]

Because our wonderful water companies leak more water than they supply.

I'm not sure that the math stacks up in that statement, but I get what you mean

[Rebotco]

How as an island are we short of water?

 

You don't get these problems in mainland Spain or the Far East. Why? Proper investment in suitable infrastructure and desalination plants. The technology is with us but the people with the fore sight to put these into place are not. Cost? pah they've just announced a rethink on the new road proposals so the money is there and the benefit is to all industry.

 

It's not as if it's suddenly happened is it ? this has been on the cards for years, certainly since the late 1970's.

 

Boondock

 

I wonder ... if a national 300m contour canal was built, could that be used to move large volumes of water from the wetter regions to the drier ones? Got an idea someone else thought that a couple of hundred years ago, but got shouted down ! Way things are going, maybe it will become popular again.

 

Brian