The Canal & River Trust has announced that the southern section of the Oxford Canal has been fully reopened for navigation following a long period of drought.
It is the first time since July that water levels have been high enough to allow for boats to move through the locks. Storm Claudia’s prolonged rains earlier this month have helped this recovery following an extremely dry spring and summer.
A spokesperson for the Canal & River Trust, a registered charity which maintains the canals and rivers across England and Wales, told Cherwell: “The Oxford Canal felt the effects of the drought and prolonged dry weather across the country this summer and autumn. Our charity’s teams and volunteers worked round the clock to manage water levels but, with reservoir holdings dwindling, some locks had to temporarily close to boats. This helped us save water to keep boats afloat, protect the wildlife that lives in the canal, and safeguard the canal infrastructure itself.
“After such an extended dry period, sustained rainfall over several weeks was needed to top up the reservoirs that feed the canal. As soon as water levels allowed, we got the locks back open for boating. We know how frustrating navigation restrictions are and we’re grateful to boaters for their support.”
The stretch of the canal from Claydon Top Lock to Aynho Weir Lock via Marston Doles is now accessible to boaters. Somerton Deep Lock and Dashwood Lock will remain closed for planned winter works.
The closure has heavily impacted businesses along the canal. Historic drydocks, such as Tooley’s Boatyard in Banbury, have seen an estimated 80% loss in business since the beginning of summer. The lifting of restrictions will come as a relief for both boaters and businesses, with the canal likely to see an uptake in pleasure cruises and trade.
The annual social and economic value of England and Wales’s canals is estimated to be worth £6 billion, with thousands of businesses benefiting from the waterways. The trust estimates that more boats are using their canal network today than at the height of the Industrial Revolution, sparking a so-called “second golden age of canals”.
The Trust’s spokesperson also told Cherwell that “any decision to close navigation on any of the 2,000 miles of waterways our charity cares for is a last resort, and would be based on a range of data”. This data includes real time electric monitoring of water levels as well as weather forecasts. Combined with the Trust’s centuries of experience and knowledge of lock usage, the teams who run the waterways are able to predict how much water is needed to keep navigation open.
The spokesperson added: “Knowledge gathered in previous droughts allows us to identify improvements in water management, but there is no doubt that climate change is making what were previously unusual drought or flood conditions happen more frequently.”
