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It's a different world here in the Fens.

MoominPapa

By MoominPapa
in General Boating

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

Posted
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There's much activity here at Bill Fen this morning, with the Fire Brigade pumping out a couple of boats which have sunk overnight. The root cause of the problems is not floods, but the opposite. The water level has dropped dramatically over the past couple of days, leaving boats on sloping bits of the bottom, and in a couple this has found low free-board openings and let the water in.

 

I'm not sure why the level has been so low, but I'd guess a combination of aggressive pumping to be ready for the various storms that have been passing over, and the very strong winds from those storms which have blown the water away from the western side of the ML, where we are, towards the eastern side where the pumping station is.

 

So, we're looking forward to the summer, when the water depths will go up!

 

MP.

 

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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

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Totally agree MP, have forgotten what it's like to step down of the boat to our landing stage except for a couple I'd weeks ago when following a flood alert phone call from EA we came up un excess of 2 feet. Confused my dogs no end, they stood looking as instead of jumping up, they had to jump down.

Phil

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

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They're still dredging here in Upwell, nearly reached New Bridge (the one by the Globe Inn) now, so there should be room for more water than before in the river.

Hooray! That ought to prevent the breaking-wash-at-tickover slowness. If they get past the Legion, it'll be great.

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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Hooray! That ought to prevent the breaking-wash-at-tickover slowness. If they get past the Legion, it'll be great.

Yes, these Fennies turn out in numbers to defend their waterways.

Oh, you mean the British Legion Club? I had a chat with the foreman last week and got the impression that they were going only as far as New Bridge, though I suppose he may have meant a different bridge, Church Bridge in Outwell if you're lucky!

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gazza Veteran

gazza

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Yes, these Fennies turn out in numbers to defend their waterways.

Oh, you mean the British Legion Club? I had a chat with the foreman last week and got the impression that they were going only as far as New Bridge, though I suppose he may have meant a different bridge, Church Bridge in Outwell if you're lucky!

Rats!

 

It's pants all the way through Nordelph too.

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Grebe Proficient

GrebeDonate to Canal World

Posted
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When driving through Outwell and Nordelph on our way to Stalham we always check out Well Creek and the resident boats. We have occasionally spotted one moving. Last month we spotted a smart looking narrowboat with a cruised stern called Emma. She looked like a 1970s Hancock and Lane 40 footer. Is she a recent arrival?

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starman Experienced

starman

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They're still dredging here in Upwell, nearly reached New Bridge (the one by the Globe Inn) now, so there should be room for more water than before in the river.

More water? There wasn't any the last time I struggled through ;)
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Scholar Gypsy Veteran

Scholar Gypsy

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The MLC's twitter feed refers to the new sport of silt pushing

 

https://twitter.com/MLCnavigation/status/691661685136949249

 

Is this a local term for dredging? The Fens seem to have local terms for just about everything else (sluice, staithe, slackers, doors, handles). If not then how does it differ?

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gazza Veteran

gazza

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The MLC's twitter feed refers to the new sport of silt pushing

 

https://twitter.com/MLCnavigation/status/691661685136949249

 

Is this a local term for dredging? The Fens seem to have local terms for just about everything else (sluice, staithe, slackers, doors, handles). If not then how does it differ?

Staithes is not unique to Fenland, there's more than a couple on the Norfolk Broads.

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PaulJ Experienced

PaulJ

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Yes, quite a nice site, EA have a very similar site where you cam look at their various telemetry stations, I use its often, seems that the Gov have borrowed the idea in the wake of recent flooding around the country

Phil

The new site is soon to replace the site you refer to. I think the new site is being tested before removing the old. Must say the new site seems to be more accurate and relevant to the levels where I am than the old site was.

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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

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The new site is soon to replace the site you refer to. I think the new site is being tested before removing the old. Must say the new site seems to be more accurate and relevant to the levels where I am than the old site was.

I doubt that it will make a lot of difference here because the telemetry station is above the weir and it shows normal level when we, below the weir are on the bottom.

Phil

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nbfiresprite Influencer

nbfiresprite

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We have had a lot of rain over the passed few months, the ground is waterlogged. Friday night alone we had 1 1/2 inches rain in the night. When you coincide that the Middle Levels are a low-lying area of approximately 270 square miles, that is lot of excess surface water to get rid off before the next storm. The Fens are cress-cross by drainage channels which are linked by over 200 pumping stations to the main drains (i.e.: 20ft,16th,40ft rivers) From which the water is drawn down the Main drain to the pumping station (Second largest in Europe) at St Germans where it discharged in to the Great Ouse.

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gazza Veteran

gazza

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The water coming down the Nene, doesn't get here, it goes straight to the sea via Dog-in-a-Doublet and Wisbech. Nevertheless, the level seems to be back to normal winter level this morning.

 

 

MP.

Not totally true, it depends on tides, hence why they pump to make room for it.

 

We got caught out in 2011, pumps at St Germans going like the clappers meant no water at Marmonts, the Nene was on SSA and the pumping was an effort to easy the situation, we had to leave the boats at Floods Ferry as we couldn't get off the levels at Stanground.

My info was straight from Tina.

Edited by gazza
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