Description
Original 9 July 2025, 8:07am
We have continued to monitor the exceptionally dry conditions, and the impact on our reservoirs.
Unfortunately, despite all our operational efforts, as rainfall has remained well below the long-term average water levels in our feeder reservoirs are continuing to fall due to canal water demands.
We can now confirm that, from 4pm on Monday 21 July 2025, the following locks will close to navigation until there is enough rainfall to replenish our reservoirs:
- Claydon Flight
- Elkington's Lock
- Varneys Lock
- Broadmoor
- Cropredy Lock
These closures are necessary to protect increasingly limited water resources and give the navigation an opportunity to recover, as well as helping preserve canal infrastructure and ecology.
We hope that this confirmation allows time for boaters to adjust their plans and relocate as needed. If we can offer any windows at all for passage, then we will advise accordingly. We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide fortnightly updates, or sooner if conditions change.
Despite the measures we're taking, there may be extreme local circumstances that require us to take immediate action to temporarily close some other stretches on the South Oxford navigation.
If it rains enough to allow safe navigation, restrictions will be lifted immediately: this is likely to require sufficient and prolonged rain over several weeks rather than a sudden very heavy downpour.
We understand that this continues to be disappointing news, and our priority is to reopen the canal to full navigation as soon as possible. We thank you for your support in reducing water use across our network, and reporting leaks or concerns via 0303 040 4040 or our Contact Us page.
