oceanfroggie
Well-Known Member
Is this the deepest lock in Europe?
I don't know but it's 102ft drop into two adjacent chambers, 60ft + 42ft.
View from bottom of lower chambre looking up to top and outside of upper chambre. Ardnacrusha hydro electric dam on the Shannon. See high up the guillotine gate into the upper chambre
It's like going down a mine shaft on a boat
We transit this engineering monster a half dozen times a season on route to the coast via Limerick and the Shannon Estuary. From Killaloe on inland Lough Derg it takes about 2.5 hours to get to the tidal shannon in Limerick. The lock takes about 50mins if the lock keeper takes you up or down slowly. Ardnacrusha Dam is one of Ireland's best kept boating secrets and costs only €1.50 (ie £1) to transit, but folks are usually generous with a heafty tip to the lock keeper. Built between 1925 and 1929 by Siemens and 5000 local labourers. Back in 1939 It used to generate 87% of Ireland electricity, now only 2% of the grid. We're now climing slowly towards our target goal of 25% from wind and 20% from tidal energy by 2020? Hmmm? Hope you like the pics of the giant lock.
Entrance to upper lock on top left of picture. Inland Shannon above, tidal Shannon to Limerick city below.
Photo from Clare Library - Pic of head race canal which is 6miles long and splits the Shannon into two channels at the 1/2 mile long Parteen Wier below Killaloe.
Normally during summer months there is only one turbine running, but during winter months all four turbines can be in operating generating upto 12kt flow downstream on a spring ebb, which is a no-no for boats. But during summer it's usually only 1-2kt which is quite manageable under the tidal Limerick bridges.
I don't know but it's 102ft drop into two adjacent chambers, 60ft + 42ft.
View from bottom of lower chambre looking up to top and outside of upper chambre. Ardnacrusha hydro electric dam on the Shannon. See high up the guillotine gate into the upper chambre
It's like going down a mine shaft on a boat
We transit this engineering monster a half dozen times a season on route to the coast via Limerick and the Shannon Estuary. From Killaloe on inland Lough Derg it takes about 2.5 hours to get to the tidal shannon in Limerick. The lock takes about 50mins if the lock keeper takes you up or down slowly. Ardnacrusha Dam is one of Ireland's best kept boating secrets and costs only €1.50 (ie £1) to transit, but folks are usually generous with a heafty tip to the lock keeper. Built between 1925 and 1929 by Siemens and 5000 local labourers. Back in 1939 It used to generate 87% of Ireland electricity, now only 2% of the grid. We're now climing slowly towards our target goal of 25% from wind and 20% from tidal energy by 2020? Hmmm? Hope you like the pics of the giant lock.
Entrance to upper lock on top left of picture. Inland Shannon above, tidal Shannon to Limerick city below.
Photo from Clare Library - Pic of head race canal which is 6miles long and splits the Shannon into two channels at the 1/2 mile long Parteen Wier below Killaloe.
Normally during summer months there is only one turbine running, but during winter months all four turbines can be in operating generating upto 12kt flow downstream on a spring ebb, which is a no-no for boats. But during summer it's usually only 1-2kt which is quite manageable under the tidal Limerick bridges.
