NB on weir at Ditchford, R. Nene

[ditchcrawler]

Why are the Nene locks left empty? I would have thought that if they decide to use the locks as flood relief an empty lock needs to have

 

1. the gate lowered,

 

2. the lock filled,

 

3 the topgates opened and chained back

 

4. then the bottom gate opened to suit

 

If the lock were left full the process would be much quicker.

 

Nick

The notice says to protect the fish

[gazza]

Why are the Nene locks left empty? I would have thought that if they decide to use the locks as flood relief an empty lock needs to have

 

1. the gate lowered,

 

2. the lock filled,

 

3 the topgates opened and chained back

 

4. then the bottom gate opened to suit

 

If the lock were left full the process would be much quicker.

 

Nick

 

You are correct in how the lock is set and adjust for flood control.

 

It doesn't need to be quick as there is a team of controllers that maintain the levels on their respective patch.

 

The EA line used to be leave locks empty as it effects flood control.

Now, they have put up notices saying leave empty to protect fish stocks.

[ditchcrawler]

You are correct in how the lock is set and adjust for flood control.

 

It doesn't need to be quick as there is a team of controllers that maintain the levels on their respective patch.

 

The EA line used to be leave locks empty as it effects flood control.

Now, they have put up notices saying leave empty to protect fish stocks.

Maybe the fish can't swim out of the open top gates

[n.b.Goldie]

The notice says to protect the fish

 

Is it about protecting the fish or the fishing?

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[Dave-Shrop]

Can not understand why they did not close the sluice gates when it happened, whilst the boat was stuck against the bank opposite and still floating. It would have taken less than 5 minitues to close them, move the boat and reopen the sluices.

There would not have been any flooding, there is still quite an amount of level to rise, also there is a wier about a mile back which runs into a stream and then joins below the lock. This I think would have be better than having a boat sitting on a ledge which might slip or the edge give way, then there will be a lot of damage to the sluice gates. Also they now have polution from the diesel. I am suprised they allowed RCR to get on a boat in that position being quiet dangerous, those ropes would not have held it. It will be very difficult now to recover as it will now slide down to the sluices as soon as it lifts a bit and is released from the ledge.

[KenK]

Some pics on NBW of the attempted rescue posted today.

 

Ken

[Laurie Booth]

The TV reporter seems to pronounce the river Nene as "nen". Is this correct? I've always thought it was pronounced the way it's spelt.

If the reporter was from the BBC then he will have pronounced it correctly.

[Athy]

....unless he was from Radio 5 Live, whose attempted newsreadings sometimes make me cringe.

[Laurie Booth]

....unless he was from Radio 5 Live, whose attempted newsreadings sometimes make me cringe.

He/she will be sacked

[gazza]

Will post some pics of an angry nene later on from laptop, level is up by a good 1+M today.

[Athy]

Will post some pics of an angry nene later on from laptop, level is up by a good 1+M today.

It's probably angry because people keep pronouncing its name wrongly.

Seriously, there has been no rain for the last couple of days. Is the high water level caused by the residual water from last weekend's wet weather?

[gazza]

It's probably angry because people keep pronouncing its name wrongly.

Seriously, there has been no rain for the last couple of days. Is the high water level caused by the residual water from last weekend's wet weather?

 

I would get annoyed if my name was constantly mispronounced too ;-)

 

As you say, we have had a couple of dry days but Saturday night and sunday day saw heavy rain with a lot of localised flooding, the roads around slipton, Woodford, tywell, Grafton Underwood and geddington were all flooded with torrents running off the fields, all these villages are virtual on the top of the valley.

Got a bit more water to get shot of yet, have a feeling its going to be one of those winters were the river is shut more than its open.

[MtB]

Some pics on NBW of the attempted rescue posted today.

 

Ken

 

C'mon.... have some standards!

 

Mike

[gazza]

 

titchmarsh mill

 

waves on the nene, not washed the chimnea away yet

 

 

lock reversed

[GUMPY]

Guess its interesting at Ringstead, will have to have a look Friday when I am there

[gazza]

 

bit of water flowing

 

 

thorpe waterville bridge, headroom reduced by over 3'

 

Guess its interesting at Ringstead, will have to have a look Friday when I am there

 

will be a pair of wellies to get to anything above ringstead lower lock, and a pair of chest waders to get to anything below ringstead lock. not driven down addington road this week so dont know how far the water has got from the trout lake/kinwell lake.

[GUMPY]

 

will be a pair of wellies to get to anything above ringstead lower lock, and a pair of chest waders to get to anything below ringstead lock. not driven down addington road this week so dont know how far the water has got from the trout lake/kinwell lake.

Hope not to far up the road or across the lake as we live just up from the pub.

Worst I have seen in a photo was up the road between the lakes and that was 1997

[gazza]

Hope not to far up the road or across the lake as we live just up from the pub.

Worst I have seen in a photo was up the road between the lakes and that was 1997

 

it would have been 1998,

we suffered devastating flooding in the easter. see here bbc link a chap we know was rescued from willy watt marina by a helicopter despatched from lakenheath, he decided to abandon the relative safety of his dawncraft and tried to reach the bank on a small dinghy, ended up clinging on for dear life to chain link fence by the lock, also resulted in the loss of a narrowboat down the sluices by the mill, this was caused by the downdraught/propwash from the helicopter.

 

 

shot of orton staunch/pyc in easter 1998 floods

Edited November 7, 2012 by gazza

[GUMPY]

Yes it was 98 my memory is not what it was.

Friend of mine nearly lost his boat in Evesham outside his house.....

http://www.andrewdyke.co.uk/evesham_in_flood_easter_1998.html

[gazza]

Yes it was 98 my memory is not what it was.

Friend of mine nearly lost his boat in Evesham outside his house.....

http://www.andrewdyk...aster_1998.html

 

what a weekend that was, seems like only yesterday, not 14 plus years ago....

[GUMPY]

what a weekend that was, seems like only yesterday, not 14 plus years ago....

Yes we drove up to Birmingham up the M40 it was just total devestation in the Chewell valley.

Rain onthe Northamtonshire heights creates chaos on so many rivers.

[Chop!]

We waited at EA's Northampton marina for the Nen(e) to drop, the marina manager told us we had one day to move them before the water levels dropped because they were taking water out to feed Colchester's reservoir, my friends got them to Billing lock, past the low water section, and found the lock was red flagged.

They waited there a few days and then a guy came through the lock and said the restrictions had been lifted on the EA site, my friends moved them through onto the floating moorings, we rang Clive at Willy Watt and he said the levels were improving so we made for Wellingborough, but at Cogenhoe Mill Lock we were dragged into the marina by the open sluice gate (past a red flag, only visible from inside the marina)

They said we shouldn't have been moving, we said that we were told that the restrictions had been lifted (we had no internet)they checked the EA site and there were no warnings, but they had not been told that and the sluice gate (controlled by a button in Lincoln) was on full chat.

We managed to miss all the plastic boats and they kindly allowed us to moor for three days, but a few miles further on the Willy Watts crew were stopped by padlocked locks.

The Cogenhoe Mill people told us that the sluice gate is sometimes opened with no warning and there seemed to be inconsistencies with red flags and posted warnings, and people like marina managers not being informed of the latest status.

We were inexperienced, naive and above all, very lucky!

I'm so glad we had a better outcome that these poor people. Our boats are finally moored on floating pontoons at Blackthorne Marina ;o)

[coldor]

We're waiting for our chosen 1st ever NB to be surveyed Monday and reading up as much as possible in the meantime.

This whole series of postings has been so edifying and educational, feel I've learned some very important lessons here. It's going to be quite some time before we attempt the Nene, or any other rivers for that matter, gotta do our time first.

[nb Innisfree]

We're waiting for our chosen 1st ever NB to be surveyed Monday and reading up as much as possible in the meantime.

This whole series of postings has been so edifying and educational, feel I've learned some very important lessons here. It's going to be quite some time before we attempt the Nene, or any other rivers for that matter, gotta do our time first.

 

When the Nene is flowing at its gentlest it's big pussycat, almost like a canal, so if you are patient and wait for those conditions it's a cinch and the Nene like the Thames is a beautiful and peaceful experience.

[Proper Job]

When the Nene is flowing at its gentlest it's big pussycat, almost like a canal, so if you are patient and wait for those conditions it's a cinch and the Nene like the Thames is a beautiful and peaceful experience.

They're very different with a bit of rain though.

 

The Thames takes a lot of rain and a reasonable time to react

 

The Nene is very volitile. I'd be a damn sight more wary of the smaller rivers such as the Nene and the Soar. The Thames is a relitively well managed river in comparison