Mud in Watchet

graham said:
Thats what I thought initially but it doesnt work like that.or so I am told.

The mud is silt from the Estuary settling in the harbours, very little mud comes down the rivers.I havent noticed any appreciable changes to depths since the bay was impounded. I imagine the silty water brought in through the locks would mostly get sucked back out through the sluices.
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You can sluice between locks at Cardiff Barrage - used when the sea level is higher than the bay level (4.5m od). This minimises salt water contamination of the Bay's fresh water and also limits the possibility of siltation inside the Bay. Outside the locks is a 'settling area' for salt water which can then be sluiced out also.

Much of the time the local ports operate in the same manner - ie keep the mud out. From time to time when both gates are open at high water or estuary water is pumped in to increase dock levels mud is introduced and dredging becomes a requirement.
 
channel said:
You can sluice between locks at Cardiff Barrage - used when the sea level is higher than the bay level (4.5m od). This minimises salt water contamination of the Bay's fresh water and also limits the possibility of siltation inside the Bay. Outside the locks is a 'settling area' for salt water which can then be sluiced out also.

Much of the time the local ports operate in the same manner - ie keep the mud out. From time to time when both gates are open at high water or estuary water is pumped in to increase dock levels mud is introduced and dredging becomes a requirement.
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What happens at Padstone do they need to dredge
 
trapezeartist said:
I think mud has been a problem for a very long time, far longer than the marina has been there. I found this in Somerset Harbours, a book written in about 1953:
I mentioned the mud problem to Cap'n Redd [the harbourmaster] because as I passed along the Promenade I had been surprised to see a steam shovel working right in the middle of the harbour bed. It was methodically picking away at a mud bank, and dropping the mud into small motor tippers. They were in turn slowly threading their way along "desert track" of wire mesh out between the piers to a dumping ground where the tide would carry away the spoil. It is a big undertaking, but has already greatly improved the accommodation for big steamers.
"Yes, the mud has been a problem since the end of the east pier was turned inwards," said Cap'n Redd. "That was done to prevent the seas sweeping into the harbour and throwing craft about at their moorings. The same action used to scour the mud away. "


It's not entirely clear in the book but I would guess the alteration to the east pier was done some time between 1905 and the First World War.
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I did not know Cap'n Redd but worked with his son Fred ( always known as Cherry) for several years. I remember the shovel working in the harbour in 1953 and also "just" remember an earlier attempt at removing the mud. The celebrated boat-builder Harold Kimber of Highbridge was hired to remove the mud using a scheme which had been succesful elsewhere. A steam engine was set up on the west pier and a 'plough' was hauled across the harbour by wire ropes while the tide was in - unfortunately it did not work.

IMHO the most cost effective way of clearing the mud was with a high pressure water jet. In the later 1950s, a barge "Perseverance" was brought to the harbour from, I believe, Combwich. This vessel was, I think, about 60 feet long and based on what looked like and old steam yacht hull - complete with teak decks. It was fitted with 2 or 3 powerful water pumps which were driven by diesel engines. Water was sucked up from the Washford Stream, which was diverted around the harbour, and blown at high pressure through a monitor mounted on the bow of the barge. The resulting slurry was carried out through the harbour mouth by the stream. Although this mud clearing was concentrated on the ship berths, it is remarkable how the mud in the rest of the harbour would diminish after the ship berths were cleared.

The west pier used to be a wooden structure which, so I had always been told, allowed sufficient water through to keep the mud to a minimum. However, this pier was destroyed in December 1900 causing the destruction of several ships. The pier was re-build using large concrete blocks between 1901 and 1903 after which the outer part of the east pier was rebuilt as a timber structure pointing slightly inward as we see it today.

The storm of 1900 was to have further ramifications. In order to raise loans to repair the harbour, the Watchet Urban District Council was established. It was to be the smallest local authority in the land until Local Government reorganisation in the 1960s.

If you can find it, I thoroughly recommend 'Tales of Watchet Harbour' by my old friend, the late W.H.Ben Norman, ISBN 0 9510842 0 8.

Paul
 
Interesting bit of history that Paul.

Last time I walked the path from Porlock down to Culbone Church I noticed some of the gravestones there were for members of the "Redd" Family. Stuck in my mind as an unusual name.
 
If some brave soul does manage to get into Watchet (with a 6ft draft) can they please let the forum know. It would be nice to go back there again.
 
You can get in, and out. The only issues are that you will sit in very soft mud, and it very slightly restricts the access window - you lose about 1/2 hour either side.
 
Still there, lots of it. Only the hammerheads are floating at first gate. I have a photo from last weekend but cant work out how to display it on here.
 
i was there last july and could'nt believe it, i doubt they will ever get it back to how it was? there investing in machinery and sounding positive but in reality it needs emptying of boats and fingers and excavating and dozering, but then it will just happen again! still a lovely place thou and don't be put off going.
 
Just got back to the joys of the BC after some years away. Is there still an alongside visitors pontoon at Watchet? This used to have more water / less mud.
 
Yes there are. But it was a cr*p marina design and it silts really badly. Someone told me that Bristol Uni had worked out that every tide deposited 50 tonnes of sediment in the marina and there are 720 tides a year so 3600 tonnes of muck! First time I have ever felt sorry for a marina owner
 
They would be thrilled if it was only 3600 tonnes/year. Can anyone clarify if it is still possible to leave as soon as the gate opens from the deeper berths (boat draws 4 feet) ?
 
graham said:
They would be thrilled if it was only 3600 tonnes/year. Can anyone clarify if it is still possible to leave as soon as the gate opens from the deeper berths (boat draws 4 feet) ?
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Yes it is possible as long as you are on the hammerheads, I draw 1.45m and left at first gate twice in the last two weeks
 
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