Canal bosses say safety gates on a section of Shropshire Union Canal in Nantwich will work in the event of a breach.
They say the emergency gates at bridges 91 and 92 on the canal above the town are designed to stay open but are not fixed.
It comes after canal users contacted Nantwich News to air concerns about potential canal breaches along that stretch between Marsh Lane and Nantwich Basin.
The canal runs above the town and any breaches similar to seen in other parts of Cheshire over the past few years could cause substantial flooding at that end of town.
Structural investigation works have been carried out by Canal and River Trust along that section this summer.
Some users have reported cracks in the embankment and towpaths, leading to safety concerns over that stretch of the waterway.
One user said: “The trust indicated the emergency gates at bridges 91 and 92 would close automatically should a breach occur thus reducing the potential for flooding in the town.
“The gates appear to be fixed open. I have contacted the trust via email and they have confirmed that this is the case.
“Should a breach occur there will be nothing to prevent the canal emptying into the town. This should be of concern to everyone living and working in the area.”
But a spokesperson for waterways charity Canal & River Trust told Nantwich News the gates would close in the event of a breach.
They added: “Our charity carries out regular maintenance and thorough safety checks along our canals including the embankment on the Shropshire Union Canal at Nantwich.
“The safety gates at Bridges 91 and 92 are kept in an open position but are not fixed.
“They are a longstanding feature on the canal and were designed as such that, should there be a sudden increase in the water flow, the draw of water will close them shut.
“In addition to the age-old canal engineering and safety measures, today we also use technology too, including automated water level monitors which detect if there is ever too much or too little water with an alert sent to our on-call staff to respond to any potential issues.”
(images by Jonathan White)
Trevor, you’re talking to the wrong guy! I’m a local resident. I was the first person to complain to C&R trust and write in to Nantwich news.
Please reread my post.
So Mr Boulton if there was a breach the stop gate would not operate automatically and an excess amount of water would escape the breach. Is it general policy now to tie up stop gates, or is this a special arrangement with the gate at Bridge 91? How quickly could stop planks be installed manually after a breach – effectively ‘after the horse has bolted’? In the case of a significant breach on the embankment between Bridges 91 and 92, what volume of water would escape into the town? What have you learned from the surveying that took place earlier this year when the fog/tow path was closed?
I’m the person who contacted the trust mentioned in the article.
Here is part of their reply I received on 10th July:
“Further to my email below, I have now received feedback from our engineer.
He understands and appreciates your concerns. The gates are locked up to stop them swinging closed and reducing the risk of damage to the gates; for example by boating customers pushing them open with the boat causing significant and costly damage to the gates. However, to provide some reassurance, we also have stop planks that we can use as an alternative should the gates fail, or get damaged. Stop planks are used across our network and are sufficient in stopping the water flow in an event of a breach until fabric dams can be installed”
A breach would be catastrophic if stop gates were inoperable. Can Nantwich News pursue the canal trust to find out the results of the survey earlier this year which closed the footpath. Is the assessment comforting or is the risk of a breach serious and at what level? Say once in 50 years or once in a century. The cracks in the footpath are worsening so when does the situation warrant substantial remedial action? It is dispiriting to here that stop locks are tied up despite assurances that they would work automatically. Has anyone modelled the impact on the town of a substantial breach ? Is the Town Council or Cheshire East (joke) alert to the risk?
The stop gate at Bridge 91 is definitely tied open with a loop of rope to a stake. I am looking at it right now. It would not be able to close on its own in the event of a breach.
I have seen CRT staff testing that the gates can be closed by hand.