Terrible Sunday for boaters

SUNDAY, yesterday, saw a terrible day for boaters with four canal closures.

Plus one on the Saturday making it five stoppages over the week-end, Keith Gudgin reports.

Leeds & Liverpool

The Saturday stoppage, another breach at a culvert, was most likely the worst, as these can now take weeks to repair.

The 'leak' as they are now named, is Culvert 63 by Crabtree Swing Bridge on the Leeds & Liverpool. With contractors attempting to stop the water escaping with a  fabric over the hole that has appeared.

The waterway is closed to stop boats disturbing the sheet.

Piling on the agony for the Leeds & Liverpool boaters is another stoppage, this time a swing bridge with Dock Swing Bridge 209 failing.

As usual this is a mechanical failure that has closed the bridge. 

The third stoppage on the Rochdale Canal in a week is a stuck paddle on Brearley Lock 6 with both it and Edward Kilner Lock 5 closed to conserve water.

People have investigated the site but we are told they were unable to resolve the issue completely. This means further resources are required, with both locks closed.

Lack of water

The other two stoppages have been closed through lack of water, notwithstanding the torrential rain we have been suffering.

The Chesterfield Canal is closed between Lock 51 and Lock 52 at Worksop. Due, Canal & River Trust maintain to very low water levels.

A very unusual waterway to suffer water loss is the Lee Navigation, it being part river navigation. But it is now closed between Stonebridge Lock and Tottenham Lock with Tottenham Lock made secure so it cannot be operated.

This is to conserve water in the pound.  

The good news

The good news on Sunday was that the lack of water on the Erewash Canal between Dockholme Lock and Sandiacre Lock had recovered. But alas, the waterway is now experiencing low water problems between Langley Mill and Greens Lock. So perhaps not such good news after all, as it is not know if the navigation is open or closed at these locks.