NORTH WEST AND YORKSHIRE

[Trafalgar Marine]

02 May 2007

 

NORTH WEST AND YORKSHIRE BUSINESS UNITS – WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 1

 

We are writing to you at the earliest opportunity to inform you of the status of the Water Resources within the North West and Yorkshire Business Units. The recent dry weather has substantially reduced the natural stream inflows into the canals, resulting on earlier reliance on the reservoirs that supply the canals.

 

We would therefore like to remind all users to take extra care to ensure that all gates and paddles are closed after use, where possible to double up with other users in locks and to keep a minimum of two locks apart on lock flights. This will all help to conserve water.

 

With current rainfall patterns there is a risk that there will be insufficient water to fully meet the summit demands on the Leeds and Liverpool by the end of August. The Rochdale, Peak Forest and Lancaster Canals are also showing signs of being at similar risk by mid September.

 

We are proposing to meet with representatives from our Leeds & Liverpool Canal user groups in the near future to agree any additional measures that may be appropriate and will hold subsequent meetings with other waterway user groups in due course. In the meantime we will continue to review the situation and keep you informed with further updates.

 

If you require any further information before this time, please contact our Northwest Customer Operations Team in Wigan on 01942 405 700 or our Yorkshire Customer Operations Team on 0113 2816800.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Debbie Lumb Laurence Morgan

General Manager - North West Waterways General Manager - Yorkshire Waterways