River Conditions

No, make it stop!

Who draws water from the Thames? Do any of the reservoirs? Could everyone in an area turn their taps on? Hang on, turn their taps on but not put the water down the plug hole. Perhaps drink it?

Just free thinking...
 
ianc1200 said:
That cannot be a photo of Lechlade in July. The wall to wall as far as you can see narrowboats are missing; was it photo-shopped out?
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No, that's a genuine picture - taken mid week. But I remember how boggy that field was to walk across because it had been raining so much. I think the local lock had been on red boards, people stayed at home etc. Bloddy rain to blame again.
 
Moxon said:
No, make it stop!

Who draws water from the Thames? Do any of the reservoirs? Could everyone in an area turn their taps on? Hang on, turn their taps on but not put the water down the plug hole. Perhaps drink it?

Just free thinking...
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Don't get me started....

Thames Water won't draw water when the River's running 'cos it's mucky and they don't have any filter beds.

Not an issue now as they're probably full, but when we have a lot of rain in the summer you'd think they'd take the oportunity to top up wouldn't you??

(Im sure Howard will be along shortly to say "it doesn't work that way"....)
 
boatone said:
All water served in this establishment has been passed by the management ....
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I was tired and desperate but hoping that people somewhere were drinking water from the Thames but flushing their loos to somewhere else. :-)

Have heard from friends that my mooring is impossible to drive to so tomorrow have planned a family (wife plus son) welly walk across fields to look at the boat. But from the pic sent to me earlier don;t know if even that will be possible. Am taking binoculars. Don't worry, I know the river is very dangerous so the family wont be anywhere near the bank. But I at least want to see if Moxon 'sleeps with the cows'.

About those EA level reports like this one:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/136492.aspx?stationId=7033

Anyone (Howard?) know how they are done? I.e. is it an automatic recording but we wait for a human to update the website? Or is it dependent on a human to measure the level too? I ask because it's nearly 14:00 and the page hasn't updated since 09:00.
 
Ring the lock. It's updated automatically from our telemetry but doesn't update as quickly as it does on the trend monitors in the lock office or river control.
 
The EA River Conditions page has not been updated since just before noon on Friday - almost 48 hours.
I know the idea is that it will only be updated when anything changes but do you not agree that it would be good if it were updated every day at a fixed time - say 0900 or Noon - even if conditions remain the same, so that at least we are aware that it is a positive, current, situation rather than a historical one which may not have been updated?
 
Brayman said:
All locks upstream of Blakes are user operated, no lockies, I'm not sure how the weirs work or if they are ever changed?
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Blakes has quite a large weir as a lot of water comes down the Kennet. I think it's one of the few with electric gates (it's quite a modern structure). The lock is EA's whether all the others are CART's.

But as in many of the tributaries the overflow weirs are mostly fixed and the Thames weir structures manage the resulting flow (IMHO) as the only one I've seen is on the Windrush - just a blurry bit of concrete stopping my cruise any further.
 
Quick drive over to PH this morning to check the boat and all seems well. The levels are well up - pontoons floating level with bankside whereas usually they slope down quite a bit.
Ran engines, emptied freshwater tank. Will flush a/freeze thru raw water side later this week and I guess that's it for this year.

When I bought the Hardy last year there was what appeared to be a rubberised canvas cover in a locker which I assumed predated the canvas one which was/is fitted over the cockpit. Pulled the old one out of the locker to take a look this morning and appears to be in good nick, but, strangely, it has no clear window panels! Anyways, will fit it as a winter cover and send canvas one for refurb, methinks.
 
Goring earlier today
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Still on the up by the look of ,guessing the Swan will be starting to panic Steve
 
boatone said:
Beam lock still and no leccy as far as I know.

About Blakes Lock
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Ooh, arr - OI were referrin' to they weir gates (think that what they call them, or are the paddles), being so near to Head Office, I thought they might have spent extra cash to automate them.

Not been up the kennet for a while so I assume the lock has proper balance beams - as they should.
 
boatone said:
The EA River Conditions page has not been updated since just before noon on Friday - almost 48 hours.
I know the idea is that it will only be updated when anything changes but do you not agree that it would be good if it were updated every day at a fixed time - say 0900 or Noon - even if conditions remain the same, so that at least we are aware that it is a positive, current, situation rather than a historical one which may not have been updated?
Click to expand...

As if by magic ....

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/
 
"The entire non-tidal River Thames is currently too dangerous to navigate"

Press Release from the EA -

Latest situation: 12 noon on Monday, 26 November 2012
16 flood warnings and 51 flood alerts in force
Residents urged to stay vigilant with more heavy rains expected across the South East​

The Environment Agency is urging residents in the South East to be prepared for flooding with up to 25mm of rain expected in some parts of the region over the next 24 hours. The rain will fall onto ground that is already saturated and rivers that are already swollen, increasing the risk of further flooding.

There are 16 flood warnings now in force and further warnings are expected to be issued during the next 24 hours.

The current warnings in force are:
Berkshire
  • River Thames at Purley Village
  • River Thames for Shiplake, Lower Shiplake and Wargrave
  • River Thames at Mapledurham, Reading and Caversham
Gloucestershire
  • River Churn at South Cerney
  • River Churn from Baunton to Siddington including Cirencester
Hampshire
  • Landford to Wade Bridge on the River Blackwater
Oxfordshire
  • River Cherwell from Lower Heyford down to Cherwell Bridge
  • River Thame at Dorchester
  • River Thames and tributaries at Kennington
  • River Thames and tributaries at New Botley, New and North Hinksey and Grandpont in Oxford
  • River Thames and tributaries in the Binsey, Osney and Osney Island areas in Oxford
  • River Thames between Newbridge and Kings Lock above Oxford
  • River Thames from Buscot Wick down to Shifford
  • River Thames from Days Lock down to South Stoke
  • River Windrush at Witney and Ducklington
Wiltshire
  • River Cole from A419 and A420 roads in Swindon to above Upper Inglesham.
Across the affected areas staff have been working around the clock to clear grids and screens of debris and flood ambassadors are working with residents to help them prepare for flooding.

In all, 22 properties are now reported to have been flooded: 15 in Oxfordshire, 2 in Buckinghamshire, 1 in Wiltshire, 1 in Swindon, 1 in Wokingham, 2 in South Gloucester.

In Oxford, where £2.5m has been invested in flood defence measures since the last major flooding of 2007, demountable flood defences are being deployed in Abingdon Road, East Street, Vicarage Road and Grandpont.

In Berkshire the Windsor, Maidenhead and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme, including the Jubilee River is still operational, with increasing flow being diverted out of the River Thames to protect properties in Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton.

We are advising boaters that the entire non-tidal River Thames is currently too dangerous to navigate, and at Shiplake, flows are now overtopping the lock gates.

Peter Quarmby, Environment Agency regional flood and coastal risk manager, said: “River levels continue to rise in response to the recent heavy rains. Everyone living near a watercourse needs to be vigilant, but people living adjacent to the River Thames in particular need to know the risk and be prepared.

“Our staff continue to work round the clock to manage the incident, to monitor river levels and to warn people should further flooding be expected.

“I continue to urge people to check the Environment Agency website for the latest flooding situation and to sign up to receive direct flood warnings. Residents and business owners who may be at risk need to act now to limit the damage a flood can cause to themselves and to their property.”

Elsewhere in the region, teams have set up additional pumps at Monkton Mead on the Isle of Wight to ensure that water is moved away from the surrounding land as quickly as possible, and therefore reduce the risk of flooding.

Floodline Warnings Direct sends messages directly to those signed up when flooding from rivers is possible in the areas where they live.

Those in flood risk areas should sign up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning system – the most immediate and localised source of information on flooding – by calling 0845 988 1188 or visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood.

The Environment Agency updates its flood guidance every 15 minutes on its website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx and you can follow the Environment Agency on Twitter at @EnvAgencySE

Met Office weather forecasts and warnings can be found at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ and you can follow the Met Office on Twitter at @metoffice and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/metoffice
 
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