1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,360 I'm standing near King's Lock on the Trenton Mersey Canal at 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,240 Middlewich in Cheshire. Now, since the last week of 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,120 July, the section of canal South of here, stretching more than 12 4 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:14,920 miles and 30 locks, has been closed because of water 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,200 shortages. And it's not just here. 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,840 Parts of the South Oxford Canal, the North Oxford sections of the 7 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,440 Grand Union, parts of the Leicester line including the 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,880 famous Foxton Locks and some of the Coventry Canal are all 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,160 closed because of low water levels. 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,280 So in this extra episode of the Water Rd, we'll be looking at 11 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,560 what's happened this summer. Why have there been so many 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,520 closures and how have they been affecting boaters and businesses 13 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:41,640 on the waterways? We're 14 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:54,560 here on the Trent of Mersey at Middlewich. 15 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,280 The canal is a sad side. The water levels at least 2 feet 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,320 lower than it should be, and at times it's been even worse. 17 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,720 The boats moored on the permanent moorings on the 18 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,840 offside are sitting on the mud and you can see parts of the 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,760 holes that are normally underwater. 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,160 I mean, you really shouldn't be able to see a boat's propeller. 21 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,600 And things are getting even worse here because following the 22 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,720 August bank holiday week, the locks down from Middlewich 23 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,320 Junction also closed, cutting off more routes and more 24 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:34,360 businesses. Later in this extra episode, 25 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,880 we'll hear from the man who's responsible for water in the 26 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,520 canals, CRTS National Hydrology Manager, about what's caused the 27 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,520 problems. Spring has been exceptionally 28 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,800 dry summer. We've seen the heat waves, we've 29 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,440 had the high temperature, but it's not so much the temperature 30 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,520 that's so much of a problem for the canal network, but it's the 31 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,040 lack of rain. But first I've been speaking to 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,920 businesses affected by the water shortages and the canal 33 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,160 closures. As well as the waterways I've 34 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,560 already mentioned there are problems on the Macclesfield and 35 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,960 Peak Forest canals, the Rochdale, the Ashton and the 36 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,320 Colden, which has been closed most of the summer. 37 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,840 You'll hear from James Atwood from Braid Bar Boats, a boat 38 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,840 builder on the Mac, Ruth Chamberlain who has a chandlery 39 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,000 on the Middlewich branch, and Steve Furnace who runs a higher 40 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,920 fleet and boatyard on the Grand Union in Northamptonshire. 41 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,520 But we'll start with Tiffany Haynes from Kings Ground Narrow 42 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,920 Boats on the South Oxford, a boat builder who also has a 43 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:29,080 Marina. We've got water and the water 44 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,600 levels are lower, which has had some impacts and it will cause 45 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,880 some impacts as we look ahead to the winter as well, based on the 46 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,360 fact that our winter mores can't get to us unfortunately because 47 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,880 of closures. Because while we have water, 48 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,680 we've been impacted by those. And we've also lost some of our 49 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,080 repaint work because the winter work often comes in from further 50 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:53,800 afield and they can't get to us either. 51 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,480 More generally, I think, you know, there's some hesitancy 52 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,000 there, some people about investing in new builds or 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,520 refits and because the network doesn't feel so reliable, it's 54 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,320 all trickling down to us and it even impacts the desirability of 55 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,840 somebody heading into a career within our industry too. 56 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,400 So at the moment we're just doing our best and to support 57 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,480 our customers, maintain their boats and try and keep the 58 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,480 positivity alive, but the bigger picture does feel rather shaky 59 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,160 at the moment. How have your Moras been 60 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:26,560 impacted then and what does that meant for your business? 61 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,160 The the word that we'd probably use is that we're all a bit 62 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,800 frustrated. So our Moras absolutely love 63 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,120 being on the water. It's why they're here and 64 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,520 closures, lack of maintenance etcetera just mean that simple 65 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,120 things like planning a weekend cruise or a family holiday have 66 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,720 become quite tricky and people want to enjoy their boats. 67 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,800 But when they're faced with restrictions or uncertainty, it 68 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,040 just dampens the whole experience and for us as a 69 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,640 Marina, we see that disappointment first hand. 70 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,600 So do you think the Kanala River Trust could have handled things 71 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,520 differently? Yes, I do. 72 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,360 I think that most of us in the industry understand that it's a 73 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,960 huge task to look after 2000 miles of canal and no one 74 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,200 underestimates that. But the key thing that's been 75 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,080 missing is communication. If there would be more 76 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:19,240 transparency, more collaboration with marinas and boaters, we all 77 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:24,000 feel we'd all feel a bit more, I suppose, like partners rather 78 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,040 than just customers. And simple things keeping us 79 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,480 informed, involving us in decisions, showing that every 80 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,560 penny has been spent wisely could have made a world of 81 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,160 difference. And it's not about pointing 82 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,560 fingers, it's about working together so that the waterways 83 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:45,840 have a future for everybody. Well, I'm at Braid Bar Boats on 84 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:48,160 the Macclesfield Canal. I'm with James. 85 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:50,840 What's happened to the water levels where you are? 86 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,320 They've dropped significantly and it's over a foot now and 87 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,160 it's been dropping down significantly sort of overnight. 88 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,040 Yeah. So we're well on the bottom now. 89 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,080 So I should explain that you build your boats in the little 90 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:05,960 arm that comes off the main canal. 91 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,280 And what's it doing to your business? 92 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,800 Well, we're at the position now where the boat that's in the 93 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,760 paint Bay that's now complete and due to come out and be 94 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,440 handed over is there's no way that can come out the the paint 95 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,160 Bay because it's most of it that should be in the water is out of 96 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,200 the water. So that's stuck in the paint 97 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,440 Bay. Therefore the next boat to go in 98 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:34,400 the paint Bay can't go in. And then the thing I'm looking 99 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,880 at a bit further down the line, which is next month, is the next 100 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,360 Shell's due to arrive, but we're just simply not going to be able 101 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,080 to get that down here. So it's it's got a feel of sort 102 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,800 of lockdown about it really, hasn't it, because everything's 103 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,080 almost grinding to a halt. Feels very much like lockdown, 104 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,480 yeah, but the difference with lockdown was we had some sort of 105 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,520 help from the government and some guidance and and the likes 106 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,320 of that but this scenario, we've got none of that. 107 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:08,320 So we're, yeah, we're not doing too good at the minute, but it 108 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,840 is what it is. And I suppose if it doesn't rain 109 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,080 a lot, then the levels are just going to keep going down. 110 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,920 They're not going to go up. Yeah, yeah. 111 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,600 So we're just going to have to wait and see. 112 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,720 It will rain at some point. It always does. 113 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,400 It's just as and when that's going to happen. 114 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,840 We've got boats in at different stages as we always have. 115 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,440 So we're just going to continue fitting the boats out obviously 116 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,280 for as long as we can. As soon as we do get some water 117 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:37,640 back in, obviously going to have to catch up with a with a 118 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:42,960 painting. I'm at to Venetian Marina and 119 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:47,520 the Chamberlain Chandlery and Ruth is with me and this canal 120 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,200 the the Middlewich arm is actually open. 121 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,880 But you've been telling me you're still noticing the the 122 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,400 drop off in business? Really quiet at the moment 123 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,560 compared to how we thought in August months would be for here. 124 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,000 It's only our 2nd August, but we did think with the with the good 125 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,640 weather we would be busier. But because of all the water 126 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,280 levels and the stoppages, I would think we were down about 127 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:09,120 50% on our business. Because of the Cheshire locks 128 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,360 being shut, there's there's no one doing the Four Counties 129 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:12,680 ring. No, nobody doing the four 130 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,520 counties, and if you don't want to go up towards Anderton then 131 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,520 there's no point coming down here really, other than to see 132 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,520 us and go in the cafe. But please come and see us and 133 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,600 go in the cafe and buy a boat while you're here. 134 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,800 Why not? So what people are you getting 135 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,640 coming past then? We get the occasional 1 coming 136 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,520 out of the Marina just to have a pump out or top the diesel up. 137 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,360 Some people are coming down the lot and turning round and coming 138 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,800 to us but there's not many and we get we're still getting the 139 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,120 odd hire boat but they will obviously because of the 140 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,560 stoppage going north on the Trenton Mersey. 141 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,760 Now that will that will cease because they won't be able to 142 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:50,240 get back to base. So I envisage the next few days 143 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:55,240 will be quite quiet. Steve, you operate Grand Union 144 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,320 narrow boats out of Whedon and all through the summer. 145 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,040 The locks at either end of your stretch have been on time 146 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,400 restrictions, haven't they? So how's that affected your 147 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,760 hires? Obviously we've made sure that 148 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,400 we've communicated that information to the customers 149 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:15,560 before they've departed on their holidays and they've managed to 150 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,040 plan around those restrictions. We're luckily particularly going 151 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:24,880 South from Whedon, the timings at Stoke Brune fit in very well 152 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:28,960 with the normal cruising pattern of our customers, so they 153 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,360 haven't been impacted too much. It's worked that well from that 154 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,240 point of view, but. Then of course we had the August 155 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,000 bank holiday and then after that the locks at both ends of your 156 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,159 pound were closed completely. So what action did you have to 157 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:43,360 take then? There's initial panic, but we, 158 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,400 we soon work to find a solution and we've actually moved the 159 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,480 boats down to below the locks at Stoke Brune. 160 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,920 There's a service area down there where there's water pump 161 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:00,600 out facilities for Luz and we happen to have a fuel marrow 162 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,800 boat located there as well. So we've got all the services 163 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,840 there and we've done 2 changeover days there at the 164 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,040 bottom of Stoke Brew now and it's, it's worked out very well. 165 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,720 The biggest impact really on, on myself as a small family 166 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,440 business has really been the communications because obviously 167 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,200 there's been a lot of press about it in the news and, and 168 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,600 social media and what have you. So there's been a, a deluge of 169 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,000 text messages and phone calls and emails from customers. 170 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,040 Luckily, we've been able to give you give them the information 171 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,400 that their holiday can go ahead, albeit in a, in a slightly 172 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,840 different location. The customers are happy that 173 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:39,120 they can still have their holiday. 174 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,880 A lot of them are worried their holidays going to be cancelled. 175 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,280 We have got a couple of one month bookings but those 176 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,440 particular boats have been relocated up to a little place 177 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,160 called Great Haywood. That boatyard's actually 178 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,520 operated by another company called Anglo Welsh Narrow Boats, 179 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,000 but we're quite a small industry and all work together. 180 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,920 Although we're in competition, we've all got a very close 181 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,680 working relationship. So those boats have been 182 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:08,960 relocated to the Anglo Welsh Boatyard in Great Haywood in 183 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,960 Staffordshire and and there's plenty, plenty cruising up there 184 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:14,720 for one month for those two boats. 185 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:16,760 I was. Thinking because lots of the big 186 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,040 hire companies have multiple bases and they can just, you 187 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,880 know, offer their customers a a change, but it it must be much 188 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,080 more difficult for someone who's just a a small family business 189 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,040 like you said. And and even just moving from 190 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,720 one place to another is a lot of extra hassle, isn't it? 191 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,400 Yeah. I mean, the, the bigger 192 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,200 operators do have that option of sort of relocating customers 193 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,080 bookings to other boats, other bases. 194 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:43,160 Logistically it's, it's, it's puts pressure on what's quite a 195 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,280 small team here working for me at Brand Union, our boats. 196 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,560 But I've worked in the industry for over 30 years. 197 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:54,280 I've got a lot of experience and I have actually had to work off 198 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,960 site before many years ago. It's mainly just getting all the 199 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:04,080 planning in place, getting bedding and spares and tools and 200 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,600 and staff onto site. But it is, it is a challenge for 201 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,280 a small business like ours, I mean. 202 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,560 In your 30 years, have you ever seen the canal system as as 203 00:11:12,560 --> 00:11:16,960 drought ridden as this? No, this is a very unusual 204 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,360 event, Adam. The last big impact on this 205 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:24,840 stretch of canal was in 1976. From my understanding that the 206 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,240 previous time before 1976 was 1911. 207 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:35,080 Adam Comerford is the national hydrology manager for the Canal 208 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,160 River Trust and he told me why this year was unusual the. 209 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:43,200 Main reason is a serious lack of rainfall across huge swathes of 210 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:44,880 the country. We've seen for months and months 211 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,600 now below average rainfall stretching back with about six 212 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,720 months, 6 to 8 months. Although we had a decent wet 213 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,360 winter, pretty much ever since then, spring has been 214 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,240 exceptionally dry summer. We've seen the heat waves, we've 215 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,760 had the high temperature, but it's not so much the temperature 216 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,920 that's so much of a problem for the canal network, but it's the 217 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,040 lack of rain that the lack of rainfall landing on our 218 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:06,600 reservoir catchments, which should drain the water into the 219 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,920 reservoirs to keep them or to to help bring water into the 220 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,640 reservoirs for us to then use to, to supply the canal system. 221 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,800 Now I. Know, you mentioned reservoirs 222 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,440 there, and I know there's been some criticism that the 223 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,080 reservoirs maybe weren't quite as full as they could have been 224 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,320 after the relatively wet sort of autumn winter that we had. 225 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,520 Do you think there's any fairness in that criticism 226 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:29,360 there? Is, but there's I think there's 227 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,280 justified reasons for it. So across our reservoir 228 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,000 portfolio and we've got about 7072 reservoirs, many of them 229 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,080 supply the canal network and that was what they were built 230 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,680 and designed and have been used to do ever since. 231 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,960 We have to keep maintaining them and invest in them to make sure 232 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:45,880 they meet modern day safety standards. 233 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,360 Even though there are an average age of about 200 years old, some 234 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:50,560 of them are even older than that. 235 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:52,840 So we have to every now and then do engineering work. 236 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,680 Sometimes that involves lowering the water levels so we can work 237 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,920 safely on some of the, the assets, the infrastructure, the, 238 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:03,400 the bits of the reservoir that safely hold the water back or 239 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,840 allow excess water to spill out. And we can't do that work when 240 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:08,840 the resolves are full. We have to sometimes empty the 241 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:10,480 resolves out or at least lower the levels. 242 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,360 And when we do that, of course, we then run the risk that even 243 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,600 if there's plenty of winter rainfall that would otherwise 244 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,280 get captured and stored to use in the summer months, we can't, 245 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,120 we simply can't do that. And so, you know, it is a 246 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,880 frustration that we, we have to hold these resolves down 247 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,920 sometimes. But we know in the long term, 248 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,400 we're making sure they are maintained, they're invested in 249 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,200 and they're, they're fit for fit for many years ahead, especially 250 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,000 with the, in the face of climate change and more extremes of 251 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,160 weather that we're we're seeing, making sure they meet those 252 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,800 modern day stringent safety standards is, is the top 253 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,840 priority. So it does mean that in some 254 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,280 parts of the network, some of our reservoirs and some of our 255 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,840 canals have been on the back foot, so to speak, in terms of 256 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,560 starting the boating season without absolutely everything 257 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:54,520 full. And what do you say to people 258 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,200 who say that the poor maintenance that they see around 259 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,880 the system also doesn't help because you've got, you know, 260 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,280 leaks in the canal bed and leaking locks? 261 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,560 Well, of course, in an ideal world, you know, as a charity, 262 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:08,800 the canal bed just would, would have unlimited funds to be able 263 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,800 to invest in all of our assets and make sure the maintenance is 264 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,080 as as, as, you know, perfect as it can be. 265 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,320 But in a way, it's a bit like running a classic car. 266 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,120 And there are some areas where we, we, we'd like it to perform 267 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,240 better and we would love to be able to invest more in that 268 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,680 maintenance. We, we, we prioritise as best as 269 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,400 we can. It's not always easy. 270 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,560 And it's probably worth saying that in a lot of years, when it 271 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,800 comes to water resources, infrastructure, the situation we 272 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,200 have is, is OK, it's acceptable. We've got enough capacity in 273 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,720 our, in our structures. We've got enough tolerance of, 274 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,240 you know, meeting some of those leaks and, and losses of water 275 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:43,800 with the available resource that we've got. 276 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,040 It's when we have these more extreme, unprecedented dry 277 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,840 spells, these severe periods of a lack of rainfall that it 278 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,920 really stretches the system to to to the extreme that we've 279 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:57,960 probably not seen for a generation or more. 280 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:00,120 And I think it's also worth saying, alongside the 281 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,160 maintenance we'd love to do to make things even better, we are 282 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,720 also feeling the effect of abstraction licences. 283 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,520 So these are licences that have now been issued to the trust by 284 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:12,360 the regulators, the environmental regulators in 285 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:15,960 England and Wales that limit and control how much water we take 286 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,440 from surface water courses. So we're now very much in the 287 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,920 same operating regime as the water industry, as farmers, 288 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,120 agriculture, industrial users who all generally need these 289 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,120 licences to to operate abstractions, taking of water 290 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:31,960 from streams and and other water courses. 291 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,320 So we now have to comply with all of these limits, which is 292 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,400 they're for very good reason, to protect the environment and 293 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:41,120 ensure that streams and water courses aren't dried up and that 294 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,920 in a way squeezes our available resource just at the time when 295 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,280 we need it most obviously. There are lots and lots of 296 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,800 closures in the north and in the Midlands at the moment. 297 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,400 How much rain do we actually need before things start 298 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,360 reopening? So the, the extent of closures 299 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,320 we're experiencing, the restrictions and the closures 300 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,480 are, are very, of course, regrettable for us. 301 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,080 We, we, we'd rather not be in this position as, as as the 302 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:07,520 operator, as, as, as the charity that looks after these 303 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:08,840 waterways. You know, it's not something we 304 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,200 decisions we take lightly to close and restrict these canals. 305 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,840 And we know it's having a huge impact on boaters, boating 306 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,520 businesses, hire boat operators, people who want to enjoy our 307 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:21,480 wonderful waterways. And I think all the company is, 308 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,040 you know, as soon as we get enough rainfall to be able to 309 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:25,920 reopen sections of canal, we it will do. 310 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,600 So it might be quite, quite rapid in some locations if we 311 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,960 get rainfall. But all the indications and all 312 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:34,840 the modelling and all the forecasting we've been doing, 313 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:38,480 looking at the current deficits of water supply in the soil, the 314 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,040 way the soils are so dry at the moment, we would need weeks of 315 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,360 sustained steady rainfall rather than a few short lived showers. 316 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,520 Torrential downpours may not actually help us that much. 317 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:53,440 They might pick up the levels in sporadic locations fleetingly. 318 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,600 The underlying shortage of water is still very much evident. 319 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,920 So we're expecting to need, you know, significant rainfall right 320 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,560 through, you know, the autumn and, and in previous years in 321 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,359 some previous droughts, we've had a lack of rainfall through 322 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:09,920 September, October, November, right after Christmas in, in 323 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,880 some more severe years. So we are, you know, hoping for 324 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,000 the best but planning for the worst as ever to to try and 325 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,440 manage these impacts. And it's very difficult because 326 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,240 we simply don't know precisely when it's going to rain, just 327 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,119 like most other people. And it sounds as though you need 328 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,359 the right sort of rain as well, yes? 329 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,040 Absolutely. The soils, particularly very, 330 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,640 very dry, sort of hard baked soils, Anyone who's got a garden 331 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,160 lawn, we'll see how parched it is. 332 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,440 And when you sometimes get to the rainfall, it can be, you 333 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,400 know, effective at recharging the flows into the rivers. 334 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,160 But it has to, like you say, it has to be the right sort of rain 335 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:49,840 to really make a difference. We might see intense storm 336 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,640 events that'll be very rapid intensity rainfall that could, 337 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,520 the water could pour off quickly and, and not really soak into 338 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,840 the ground and create any sustained recovery. 339 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,320 It might very quickly and very flashily run off down rivers and 340 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,400 streams, some of which we can use other, other water may just, 341 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,320 you know, bypass our system or we can't actually make use of 342 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,000 it. And that we lost out to the sea 343 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:18,960 effectively. So although it's much more 344 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,960 pleasant boating in nice weather, we desperately need the 345 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,920 autumn and winter to be wet so the canals can open up again. 346 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,600 That's all for this extra edition of the Water Rd produced 347 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,520 and presented by me, Adam Porter. 348 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,440 Next time we'll be joining volunteers from the Inland 349 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,200 Waterways Association at a Log Wind, helping people through a 350 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,240 log and raising awareness of the organisation. 351 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,480 I think it's brilliant. It's great that they're getting 352 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:49,440 volunteers helping us tourists along our way, showing us how to 353 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,600 do things correctly. If you're enjoying The Water Rd, 354 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,280 please subscribe or follow us so you're alerted when new episodes 355 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,480 are released. And please leave us a nice 356 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,200 review because it really does help other people find us. 357 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,560 And don't forget that all previous episodes are always 358 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,200 available to listen to. Thank you for listening to The 359 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:08,840 Water Rd.