Low water levels at Derwent Mouth

Published: Monday, 20 June 2022

MAYBE the low water levels at the Shardlow end of the Trent & Mersey are due to inadequate maintenance, rather than the level of the Trent (which looks to be at a normal 'summer' level)? Writes Ralph Freeman.

In the past few weeks boaters at Barton Marina have noticed that the water level in the marina has been high on occasions!  (It is therefore hard to believe that the level of the Trent is an issue?)

This excess water level has been reported to CaRT and some time later the water levels have then fallen to normal.

TrentControlBywash chocked

This is almost always due to the bywash around Barton Lock being chocked with debris. Once this is removed water levels soon return to normal.

Now if this is the case at other locks from Barton Lock down to Shardlow, how much water is being backed up the pounds in between due to debris restricting flow?

I would therefore suggest the problem may be restricted flow around locks (i.e choked bywashes), not the source at Wychnor Lock where the flow of water from the Trent is controlled by a paddle above the lock. The said paddle is shown in the accompanying photo.

Leaking!

There is another scenario which doesn't bear thinking about—The Trent & Mersey is leaking like a sieve!