boat sunk at Cookham

[thamesS23]

Was just shown by a colleague, a facebook post which showed that a boat has sunk at Cookham.

From the picture (which I dont have as don't do facebook), it was a canal barge type that was tied up to the salters Steamers pontoon bit which sticks out just passed the Ferry. Apparantly the owners had tied it up and then gone away for the weekend!
Probably not the best thing to do when the river is on red and its raining all weekend.

 

[Chris_d]

Was just shown by a colleague, a facebook post which showed that a boat has sunk at Cookham.

From the picture (which I dont have as don't do facebook), it was a canal barge type that was tied up to the salters Steamers pontoon bit which sticks out just passed the Ferry. Apparantly the owners had tied it up and then gone away for the weekend!
Probably not the best thing to do when the river is on red and its raining all weekend.

We were in there on Saturday lunchtime, didn't notice a sunken boat then.
But river is rising quickly, I have had to adjust a line everyday over the last 3 days on my boat.

 

[CJL]

I understand this canal boat has gone under just upstream of Wallingford:

 

[Outinthedinghy]

The narrow boat on the salters landing stage is right under now. Only the chimney visible when I went past earlier today.

I don't know what happened but it was recent as I could smell the diesel in the River this morning.
Possibly the ropes were too tight. I did wonder about a bad stern tube situation with the prop turning letting in a lot of water. Some people only keep the stern tube sealed with grease and forget about the packing. Once this River starts moving (around 210 tonnes a second through Maidenhead at the moment) it will spin the prop if it is not locked or clamped up onto the packing.

Might have been something else. There has been a fair bit of rain and it is a cruiser stern narrow boat.

Nasty situation.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

This part of the River and anywhere upstream of Boulter's is dominated these days by the status of the Jubilee river.

As this gaugemap image shows there has been quite a bit of activity the last few days. It seems to be triggered when there is about 150 cumecs (cubic metres per second=tonnes per second) of water going through Maidenhead bridge. They pull 10 cumecs at a time.

Lots of action the last few days which means increased flow rate around Cookham specially above the bridge there.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Looks like more coming. I reckon Taplow up to 80 tomorrow morning.. Maidenhead building up fast according to this:

 

[Scapegoat]

This part of the River and anywhere upstream of Boulter's is dominated these days by the status of the Jubilee river.

As this gaugemap image shows there has been quite a bit of activity the last few days. It seems to be triggered when there is about 150 cumecs (cubic metres per second=tonnes per second) of water going through Maidenhead bridge. They pull 10 cumecs at a time.

Lots of action the last few days which means increased flow rate around Cookham specially above the bridge there.

Seen on Twitter- @HMofBray - re use of Jubilee flood relief channel

1. It's based on flow rate at M'head Bridge & tail water level at Boulters plus headwater (HW) level at Bray. If Bray goes over around +16" above HW, property floods nr the bridge. 2. Flood duty officer calls the shots, river duty officer oversees the gate moves.

Points to note: Jubilee can't be used till Boulters weir is fully drawn (usual 'sweetening' flow rate down Jubilee is 5 to 10 cumecs). Triggers are main river flow rate has to be around 150 cumecs* & Boulters tail water has to reach around 11' or 3.4m*. *If I recall correctly.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

It is interesting to look at the graphs on Gaugemap website.

This one seems to show that activation of Taplow is not closely related to the tail level at Boulters

 

[Outinthedinghy]

And this one seems to indicate that it is not directly linked to flow above Maidenhead bridge.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I know there have been some works at Taplow for construction of gantries to make maintenance easier but I don't know exactly what the criteria for pulling the gates there.

It looks like things happening further up or down the River may have an impact on the decision making. Well it looks random but I don't think it is random.

 

[Chris_d]

I know there have been some works at Taplow for construction of gantries to make maintenance easier but I don't know exactly what the criteria for pulling the gates there.

It looks like things happening further up or down the River may have an impact on the decision making. Well it looks random but I don't think it is random.

I've only been looking at levels at Henley and above and it looks like the levels have peaked, but no sign of it dropping yet.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

A useful indicator is the Sutton Courtenay flow gauge just down from Culham lock.

The Cherwell is the largest tributary of the Thames in terms of maximum discharge so getting flow at Sutton Courtenay is quite a good guide.
It is still flying up there but does look to have peaked.

GaugeMap – Latest River, Flow and Groundwater Levels Map for Britain & Ireland

And for people who like data this page on the Thamesboating.info site is a gem.

Links to Flood information service websites for Thames locks

Locks and tributaries with maximum levels and maximum flows.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Brought back up over the weekend.