Boating in a drought – update from those that manage our water
Another Boaters’ Update, another heatwave. Just earlier this week, the government’s National Drought Group said that the country is facing a ‘nationally significant’ water shortfall. The latest statistics, for June and July, from the Met Office also paint a picture of a dry, sunny and parched land:
Temperatures were above average for all parts of the UK. Most of England experienced temperatures at least 1.5C higher than the 1991 to 2020 average.
Rainfall, bringing the lifeblood of the canal and river network, was for most parts far below what we’d usually get. Large parts of England only received just over half with some places getting less than a third. This is on top of the driest spring in over a century.
All but a few places (mainly in Scotland and down the west coast) sweltered under above average sunshine, with a central swathe receiving at least 135% of what we’d normally expect.
The combination of those three factors; warmer temperatures, more sunshine and an incredibly dry year, make Dr Adam Comerford’s, our national hydrology manager, task unenviable. Here he explains the current situation and discusses how it takes us beyond historic droughts:
Boating in a drought – head of boating explains what it means for boaters
While there are still parts of the network without restrictions, Matthew Symonds, head of boating, says that it’s vital that boaters sign up for stoppage notices to get alerts as soon as we issue them. Matthew also discusses continuous cruising rules when low water restrictions prevent movement:
Get notified
A map of the affected areas can be found on the Notices section of our website: filter by reason: ‘Low Water Levels’ and select ‘Map View’. If you think you’ll be regularly checking the map then bookmark this link and it’ll take you straight to the low water stoppage map.
Boating in a drought – how we’re adapting our work for you
As you’d imagine, we’d much prefer to be out on the cut doing all the things we set out to do in our Better Boating Plan after feedback from boaters. But, as Daniel Greenhalgh, our operations performance director (and chair of our water management steering group) explains, managing water is a resource-intensive activity that throws up tough choices:
‘Nationally significant incident’ declared by National Drought Group
The drought and prolonged dry weather we’ve been experiencing has led the National Drought Group to define the current water shortfall situation in England as a ‘nationally significant incident’. Many of the reservoirs that supply our canals are now at extremely low levels
Our team is working to manage the situation as responsibly and carefully as possible. With little prospect of substantial rain in the short to medium forecast, we’re now putting contingency plans into action to prioritise boater safety and ensure access to essential facilities as we continue to make the most efficient use of the water we have remaining.
We may soon have to introduce temporary navigation closures on more stretches of the network and install stop planks to conserve water in key areas where boats can remain safely moored.
We understand how frustrating navigation restrictions are and want to reassure you that this is not a decision that’s taken lightly. However, it’s a necessary step to protect the long-term sustainability of the network and continue supporting boaters in these areas.
Keep informed
We will endeavour to contact directly all boaters in the affected areas using our most recent boat sighting data and via our notices system.
The current situation with water can change very quickly so we are asking all boaters to ensure that the contact details on your web licensing account are correct and also to sign up to receive notifications for the canal you are on.
Be prepared
To help you prepare, we strongly encourage all boaters to start making plans now. This includes:
Emptying waste tanks
Filling up water and fuel tanks
Stocking up on essential supplies
Considering relocating your boat to areas closer to services, or if you have a home mooring, return your boat to your marina/mooring
Helping vulnerable boaters
Where we can, we will try to help support boaters who are stranded, prioritising those who are vulnerable and most in need. If you consider yourself to be a vulnerable boater who may need support, please email [email protected] or call 0303 040 4040 so that we know who may need additional support.
Continuous cruising
If you are a ‘continuous cruiser’ and are in an area that is affected by closures or restrictions, please be assured, any period of reduced movement will not impact your licensing options in future. We will also pause 14-day reminders in these areas to accommodate these challenging conditions. Please moor considerately and share space as best as possible so that others can access facilities.
Look out for further updates
We want to give everyone as much time as possible to make informed decisions and adjust plans before any further navigation closures take place and will keep you updated with the latest news, guidance, and information through our notices and other channels over the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for further announcements.
Thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding, and support during these challenging times as we continue to do everything we can to protect the canals and support our boating community.
Reservoir works designed with boating in mind
Using a 100-tonne press to drive home 2,000 steel piles the height of a house is major engineering in anyone’s book. But, even with massive projects like this, we plan to cause the least disruption possible to boaters.
What’s more crucial, especially this year, is that the works are at Wilstone Reservoir which holds preciously scarce water. It’s part of the reason why the £6 million 15-month programme of statutory safety works required under the Reservoir Act are being carried out using land-based equipment – so it can continue to supply the network.
The reservoir, near Tring in Hertfordshire, has two five-metre wide embankments stretching for over a mile. 2,000 steel sheet piles are being driven in to them to strengthen the embankments.
Built in 1802 to supply water to the Grand Junction Canal (via the Wendover Arm), Wilstone Reservoir is part of the Tring Reservoirs Nature Reserve Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a popular place for walking and fishing, and beyond its canal water supply role, is also regarded as one of the best bird-watching spots in the south of England.
Grade II Listed pumphouse at National Waterways Museum to be restored
We have received a grant from Historic England to repair and restore the Grade II Listed pumphouse at our National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port.
The £252,282 funding will enable us to renovate and conserve the pumphouse and access bridge so they can be reopened to the public and enjoyed for many years to come.
Works will include removing dry and wet rot from timbers, repairing the roof, windows and doors, carrying out patch pointing to the walls and replacing the guttering. Traditional restoration techniques will be used to make sure the renovations are in keeping with the building’s historic character.
We plan for the project to start in September and for the repairs and renovations to be completed by spring 2026.
150 years of history
Opened in 1873 the pumphouse contains two steam-powered engines and was the heart of an extensive hydraulic system, which supplied high-pressure water to power cranes, capstans and jiggers to load and unload cargo from boats and barges.
The pumphouse and access bridge are located in the heart of the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, which is home to the nation’s designated collection of waterways history. The seven-acre site sits at the junction of the Manchester Ship Canal and Shropshire Union Canal and displays a fascinating collection of historic boats, waterways artifacts and steam-driven machinery, as well as telling the story of Britain’s canals.
Peter Hoarle, our enterprise manager, said: “We’re delighted to have secured this funding, which will allow us to restore and conserve these historic structures so the pumphouse can be reopened to the public and become another wonderful addition to the attractions at the National Waterways Museum.”
The Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, led by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will help rescue listed buildings and sites facing dereliction or demolition. The one-year fund prioritises heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.
National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
Plan for essential boater facilities progresses
You may remember that, following consultation with boaters, we published the Customer Service Facility Policy Statement setting out the essential boater customer service facilities (CSF) we will provide.
In summary, we’re focussing on the facilities that matter most to boaters and working towards filling gaps in provision wherever possible.
We’ve been rolling out fully contactless payment options on pump out machines, modernising facilities, making them more robust, and improving convenience for boaters.
Ultimately, it’s about making the £2 million we spend on these facilities each year go as far as possible. Because resources are limited, where we have over supply or facilities outside the scope of what we can offer, these are being scaled back so that the money can be put into the keeping the remaining essential facilities open and reliable.
The essential provision includes a maximum cruising time that we will aim to achieve across our waterways. There are some waterways where very high demand may require a lower maximum cruising time between facilities or additional facilities at existing locations where they are provided.
We’re now beginning the second phase of our review of CSF which involves identifying facilities that are not part of the minimum provision.
This includes assessing:
Where there are gaps below the minimum cruising distance standard and how these can be filled
Where there may be over provision of services
Where there are exceptions to the standard (i.e. higher demand or very low demand) and how we address these
Facilities that fall outside of the minimum standard
As part of this wider review, we’ve identified opportunities to make the service more financially sustainable. This includes focusing investment on core facilities, Elsan, pump-out and water points, and reducing the number of buildings we operate.
Before concluding the review, we are offering boaters and user groups the opportunity to submit an expression of interest in leasing and maintaining existing CSF buildings with toilets and showers on a long-term basis.
*How long a day's cruise would take will vary depending on the speed of travel, and could be affected by weather or other factors. Rather than be specific, we're proposing that this would normally be between 5-7 hours cruising.
**Two days cruising would be between 10-14 hours cruising.
Maintenance, repair and restoration work this weekend
As the above update demonstrates, the network wasn’t built for extreme weather and it does impact its’ ability to operate which sometimes mean we have to reluctantly restrict, or stop, navigation.
When this does happen, we get notices up on to our website as soon as we can – it’s always best to have a scan while you’re planning your cruise and also just before you set off. You can find out how to get stoppage notification alerts on your smartphone in this article.
A map of the areas affected by low water levels can be found on the Notices section of our website: filter by reason: ‘Low Water Levels’ and select ‘Map View’. If you think you’ll be regularly checking the map then bookmark this link and it’ll take you straight to the low water stoppage map.
Below, you’ll find a list of navigations that have ongoing restrictions not related to low water levels that may affect you if you’re planning to get out on the water this weekend:
