Water Shortage???????????????

[boatchad]

Just checking out the stoppage situation on the Waterscape website for the Ashton canal when I noticed this little gem!

 

Advice: NORTH WEST AND YORKSHIRE BUSINESS UNITS WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 1

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. (Enquiries: 01942 405700 or 01)

 

 

 

 

Makes you think doesn't it. If BW is claiming a water shortage this summer, what chance of them being taken seriously when there really is a shortage?

Edited July 16, 2007 by boatchad

[Sir Nibble]

When I was a kid, little nippers used to say

"What was it like in the war grandad?"

Soon it will be

"What was it like in summer grandad?"

 

Of course this could be just information not updated since last year, still crap mind.

[boatchad]

When I was a kid, little nippers used to say

"What was it like in the war grandad?"

Soon it will be

"What was it like in summer grandad?"

 

Of course this could be just information not updated since last year, still crap mind.

 

 

I can't wait until my grandkids ask

 

" who was Snibble"

 

Then I will be able to tell them all about the adventures of Snibble the wonderous Beer Hamster, their little eyes will open wide in wonder and amazement as I tell of his weekly bokkle delivery with his trusty sidekick Nobber.

 

Best not mention the Beer Fairy with the industrial thighs though!

[Machpoint005]

Just checking out the stoppage situation on the Waterscape website for the Ashton canal when I noticed this little gem!

 

Advice: NORTH WEST AND YORKSHIRE BUSINESS UNITS WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 1

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. (Enquiries: 01942 405700 or 01)

Makes you think doesn't it. If BW is claiming a water shortage this summer, what chance of them being taken seriously when there really is a shortage?

 

Makes me wonder how often they update the database for the 'beta version boater's guides'. The Ashton Canal stoppage is still showing, but they haven't gone past their last stated completion date yet.

 

In the other hand, is the 'shortage' a genuine risk because the rain was so much, all at once, that the reservoirs couldn't catch it?

What we need is a water services engineer (or waterco manager?)

 

Ian

[chris w]

Obviously the "wrong type of rain"

[magnetman]

Stand a teacup outdoors for months and it'll get leaves, insects and general dirt in it which means you can't get much tea in when there is a good supply available. Maybe these reservoirs need dredging.

[fender]

Stand a teacup outdoors for months and it'll get leaves, insects and general dirt in it which means you can't get much tea in when there is a good supply available. Maybe these reservoirs need dredging.

 

Water shortages are useful. Stops the bloody boats moving and there's less chance of BW's locks and bridges being thrashed!

[Sir Nibble]

Then I will be able to tell them all about the adventures of Snibble the wonderous Beer Hamster, their little eyes will open wide in wonder and amazement as I tell of his weekly bokkle delivery with his trusty sidekick Nobber.

 

All adventures of wondrous beer hamster, weekly bockle deliveries, and trusty sidekicks © snibble.

[RichardH]

This was posted weeks ago.

 

All of the reservoirs on the top pound of the L&L are chocka with the overflows flowing freely.

[Sir Nibble]

This was posted weeks ago.

That's what I suspected. The thing is, innacurate information is worse than no information at all. If BW cannot commit to keeping this stuff updated, perhaps they should just back out of their internet presence completely.

[Machpoint005]

That's what I suspected. The thing is, innacurate information is worse than no information at all. If BW cannot commit to keeping this stuff updated, perhaps they should just back out of their internet presence completely.

 

Agreed. or at least date the information so that the punters can decide for themselves.

 

Ian

[fender]

I abhor the stoppage notices sent by email. Whilst some have proved useful, there have just been so many recently, some quite irrelevant, and the worst thing about these is that the original notices are left intact, with just a few words added to say that the stoppage has been lifted. Except that the information isnt clear, and it isnt concise. Its downright confusing and I think it is time BW sorted this out.

 

Here's a (very short) example from today:

 

----------------------------------------------

The following advice has been revised:

 

Aire & Calder Navigation

Leeds Lock

 

Date: 16/07/2007 until 18/07/2007

 

Description:

Leeds Lock is now open.

**This stoppage has been cancelled.**

----------------------------------------------

 

Its not that clear is it? What stoppage has been cancelled if they're saying Leeds Lock is now open? Why bother with such mumbo jumbo? Why not just say 'Leeds Lock is now open' and leave it at that?

 

With reference to the L&L issue of water shortage, I expect BW sought to update the old stoppage notices, but couldnt manage to get the right information out. I still remember an infamous stoppage notice from about two years back when BW emailed about 20 stoppage notices, all the same thing and all trying to correct a mistake in the previously emailed notice - and it took that many just to correct a slight typo in the dates. Does BW use some software that is causing the problems?

Edited July 18, 2007 by fender

[Richard Fairhurst]

Makes me wonder how often they update the database for the 'beta version boater's guides'. The Ashton Canal stoppage is still showing, but they haven't gone past their last stated completion date yet.

 

The Boaters' Guides take the information from the main stoppages information database on Waterscape. In other words, if it's listed under 'stoppages', it'll appear exactly the same on the Boaters' Guides. I can say that with some certainty as I programmed them.

 

I do agree that there are deficiencies in the information, but I hope you're mailing your comments to feedback@waterscape.com as well as venting off steam here. There are so many discussion boards these days that you can't practically expect someone from BW to monitor them all.

 

Richard

(no longer responsible for any of this!)

[Sir Nibble]

Before I bought my boat I checked on waterscape and found dozens of suitable moorings available. They weren't. How many people have done the same and found themselves stuck? If BW is unable to keep its information up to date enough to avoid it becoming seriously misleading then they should perform a public service and just shut the whole thing down.