River Thames - latest advice from EA Navigation Office

angelaquayle

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We are sending this notice out to locks/businesses/stakeholders now.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MASTERS OF VESSELS

Updated 24 July 2007

VERY STRONG STREAM WARNING

We are still experiencing very, very strong streams on the Thames. The river is out of banks in some places and levels are continuing to increase from Abingdon downstream.

PLEASE DO NOT NAVIGATE - MOOR IN A SAFE PLACE, PREFERABLY IN A MARINA OR A RECOGNISED MOORING. LIMITED SPACE IS AVAILABLE AT SOME LOCKS, FREE OF CHARGE.

- Ensure your mooring lines are fastened to secure fixings such as trees or mooring bollards. Put out extra lines for additional security and allow enough slack for a further rise in river levels. Do not rely upon your own mooring pins – they will not hold fast.

-Put out your anchor and preferably two – one each at bow and stern.

- If you can, put fendering (e.g. scaffold poles) between your boat and the river bank to prevent the boat drifting onto the bank side and becoming caught up.

- Make sure you have a safe exit from the boat. If there is not, please think about returning home or finding alternative accommodation until the stream moderates.

THE RIVER IS DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE WHEN IN FLOOD
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY RISKS – PUT YOUR SAFETY FIRST

For further information: -

- For recorded Thames specific river conditions updates please telephone our FLOODLINE on 0845 988 1188 and press 1 when prompted, followed by 011131

- Listen for information broadcasts on local radio

- For any urgent enquiry, please telephone the Environment Agency’s 24 hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60

- IN AN EMERGENCY INVOLVING IMMINENT RISK TO SAFETY CALL 999

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE STRONG STREAM CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS

If you would like to receive similar information from us by email in future, please email visitthames@environment-agency.gov.uk including ‘navigation info’ in the subject field.

E. McKEEVER
Harbourmaster
 
Desparate effort by Ch4 News to get the EA bod to say "global warming" or "climate change" to explain the floods. Not much suggestion of wet periods beforehand meaning that last years almost dry aquifers were pretty full and there was little absorbtion left in the ground.
 
I agree - there was a moment on Newsnight when she was looking for the same response (i.e it's all down to global warming) until the met chap pointed out there were similar serious floods in 1968, 1947 and 1903.
I remember the 1968 one, but I was still in bagdad in 1947 and a forethought on the creators drawing board (bin?) in 1903. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I do feel very sorry for the flood victims though - is there a fund yet set up to help folk affected?
 
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