River Don in flood

[musicman]

Visited Bramwith today to find the River Don in flood - lapping at the road bridge which was closed and patrolled by two Police officers refusing to let anyone cross. The river must have been at least ten foot (maybe even fifteen foot) above the level of the Stainforth and Keedby Canal below. Several spots on the towpath lane were under water, and the lock was set with both top and bottom paddles open - presumably to drain some of the water from the Don and divert it through the canal.

 

Looking at the moored boats, whilst most were on relatively slack lines which had allowed for the upward swell, a couple were listing because the lines were really tight. My guess is that, if the river rises much more, leading to a further rise in the canal level, then these lines might break under the strain.

 

No-one would normally expect this sort of cloudburst over consecutive days in the lovely month of June - but it could potentially cause quite a bit of damage to boats if they break free of their mooring and get caught up in the swell.

 

Philip

[MartinClark]

Visited Bramwith today to find the River Don in flood - lapping at the road bridge which was closed and patrolled by two Police officers refusing to let anyone cross. The river must have been at least ten foot (maybe even fifteen foot) above the level of the Stainforth and Keedby Canal below. Several spots on the towpath lane were under water, and the lock was set with both top and bottom paddles open - presumably to drain some of the water from the Don and divert it through the canal.

 

it would be interesting to see the Don Aqueduct. I presume the guillotine gates are down. I wonder if the river is higher than the aqueduct?

(Don Aqueduct when the river is not in flood)

[Chris J W]

it would be interesting to see the Don Aqueduct. I presume the guillotine gates are down. I wonder if the river is higher than the aqueduct?

(Don Aqueduct when the river is not in flood)

 

Can I ask a really silly question? Why do you need gates on an aquaduct? The only reason that springs to mind is for maintenance work?

[Hairy-Neil]

Can I ask a really silly question? Why do you need gates on an aquaduct? The only reason that springs to mind is for maintenance work?

 

They are to close the gap in the levee that the canal would otherwise make if the river levels came up that high.....

[Adam]

Can I ask a really silly question? Why do you need gates on an aquaduct? The only reason that springs to mind is for maintenance work?

 

They are there so they can close and drain the canal if maintanance work is needed. So the nicholson says anyway. They will probably shut them in flood aswell.

 

The canal in that photo looks quite high had it been raining when that was taken?

 

I would expect it was over the canal but the gates will of been shut.

[MartinClark]

Can I ask a really silly question? Why do you need gates on an aquaduct? The only reason that springs to mind is for maintenance work?

As Hairy Neil says, it is to do with the levees along the side of the river, built to funnel flood water straight down towards the tidal Ouse. The canal is lower than the tops of the levees, so if there were no guillotine gates, when the river levels topped the aqueduct, the water would shoot off along the canal and flood villages like Bramwith and Braithwaite.

 

This picture shows both guillotine gates:

[Hairy-Neil]

Lets hope they are more often used as stop planks for maintenance work on the aquaduct.....

[Chris J W]

Thanks!

[musicman]

I didn't wade round the corner to see if the aquaduct was down - but this picture which we took, from the beginning of the towpath lane, has the guillotines in the distance and they look as if the gates are in the lower position.

 

Philp

 

[Adam]

I didn't wade round the corner to see if the aquaduct was down - but this picture which we took, from the beginning of the towpath lane, has the guillotines in the distance and they look as if the gates are in the lower position.

 

Philp

 

 

Is the the RIver or the canal in that photo?

[g0n]

The canal is lower than the tops of the levees..

It's a few years since I went down that way, but isn't that aquaduct on the New Junction canal, alongside the junction with the Stainforth and Keadby? IIRC the junction is to the right of the picture, and the lock drops the canal level further to the level of the S&K, so the river is even more substantially above canal level than it might first appear.

[musicman]

I hear on the news tonight that the River Don has now breached near Stainforth.

Is there anyone nearby who can provide a first hand up-date - especially for those of us moored just a mile or two away at Bramwith? Obviously, with more rain forecast for the weekend, I am getting a bit worried about how safe the boat is.

 

Philip