Lack of water? Really?
ANNOUNCEMENTS just received from CaRT say that the Leeds & Liverpool, Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals are to be closed due to lack of water.
Yes, everything is in lockdown presently but Whaaaat? Asks Kevin McNiff.
Lack of rainfall
The latter two are cited because the Toddbrook Reservoir has been out of water supply use, but generally they say there’s been a lack of rainfall. You couldn’t make it up with so much of the country having been deluged for month after month, storm after storm and widespread flooding.
My good friend Brian D. Jarrett, a regular contributor to these columns, has always said there is a hidden agenda to reduce the waterways to an 18” deep ditch for the admiration of walkers, joggers and cyclists. Perhaps he’s right.
'Remains healthy'
Further “Babblespeak” from CaRT’s hydrology unit says: [We too received—Editor.]
'Overall, the water resources situation remains healthy with March’s groundwater level and flows being above average. However, with the continued intensification of soil moisture deficits and recessions in river flows into early April, along with current weather forecasts of drier conditions, it is important to keep monitoring the situation, especially with the increased evapotranspiration rates throughout Spring'.
What Gollocks is this? There is a layman’s definition which probably involves climate change/global warming that’s easier to understand.
Where has the water gone?
Looking at the table (attached), it begs the question: since the system has been closed due to Covid-19 and so much rainfall across the country, where has the water gone?—not just into the atmosphere but more I wager in leakages notably the canals in question and also the Chesterfield down to 55%. But no worries, the Grantham Canal is at 98%, so we can all go boating there when lockdown is lifted!
And they want boaters to give back the month’s extension of licences as a gesture of goodwill? Second word is OFF. Boat owners on the affected canals should just refuse to pay anything at all.