Boaters in Nantwich are experiencing unusually low water levels on the Shropshire Union Canal as the prolonged July heatwave continues to grip the country, writes Jonathan White.
One narrowboat owner, who lives on the main section of the canal beside the Nantwich Canal Centre, showed how their boat is sitting noticeably lower in the water as levels have fallen dramatically.
The resident said: “My boat and those of my neighbours are sat on the bottom of the canal.
“As it’s been hot and dry for weeks they’re having to pump water out of the canal into the reservoir at Hurleston.
“Boats can still move through the centre of the canal, though many were held up earlier because of the pumping situation.”
The prolonged spell of dry weather has caused water levels at Hurleston Reservoir to fall by at least a metre.
This has affected the downstream section of the Shropshire Union Canal through Nantwich.
Hurleston Water Treatment Works, operated by United Utilities, supplies drinking water to around 330,000 people across South Cheshire, including Crewe and Nantwich.
The site treats raw water taken from the River Dee via the Llangollen Canal.
To help protect essential water supplies, United Utilities has temporarily closed the locks at Hurleston, allowing water that would normally flow into the Shropshire Union Canal to be diverted into Hurleston Reservoir instead.
Two high-efficiency pumps have also been installed to transfer water from the canal into the reservoir as demand rises during the dry spell.
The company says as much water as is currently permitted is already flowing from the River Dee into the canal network, with higher volumes only possible once significant rainfall replenishes water levels.
The Canal & River Trust has issued water-saving guidance for boaters using the Shropshire Union Canal.
It is urging crews to share locks wherever possible, operate lock gates carefully to reduce water loss and check the latest navigation updates before setting out.
Forecasters are predicting more warm weather before any substantial rainfall arrives.
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