The dredging has taken place on a four-mile section of the canal between Salmons Bridge and Hoole Lane Lock with a 6.7m wide, 1.35 metre deep channel being created in the canal. Work began mid-November and is due to be completed by the third week in January, helping to keep the channel clear for the next 15 – 20 years.
Dredging is a vital part of our work to keep the waterways clear for the thousands of boats on them. Dredging also has a positive impact on the water quality and the flora and fauna, which are so popular with people visiting the waterways.
Spread on farmland
Project manager Mark Weatherall said: “Dredging the canal system is part of our routine maintenance programme to ensure that the waterways are kept in good working order for the many boats that use them every day.
“Wherever possible we seek to make good use of the material we dredge, for example as protection for the canal banks. In this case the silt has been spread on farmland at nearby Christleton, saving 413 lorry journeys and over £200,000 in landfill and transport costs.”
