Tightening of Crinan Canal draught restrictions

[Quandary]

After months of dry weather and unbearably hot sunshine here, the canal is running out of water (who said global warming is not happening) Scottish Canals have announced that from Thur. 22nd July the current draught restriction of 2.3m will be reduced to 2.0m. They are also again reminding users to continue to economize on water use by sharing locks where possible.
It is only about 20 years or so since the draught limit was over 3m.

 

[SaltIre]

Is the entire canal now 2m or bits of it? The summit reach perhaps...

 

[Quandary]

There are humps here and there particularly where mountain streams run in bringing down gravel, when the eastern reach was drained last winter you could see some of them, most concerning were the sunken waterlogged tree stumps. In general the starboard side going west tends to be deeper and cleaner than the other, there was talk of dredging? but the major loss has been the general lowering of the water levels in the summit and western reaches, that is why some of the locks, like 13 for instance, is below the level of the sluices with a 3m. plus rise and great spouts of water coming in while 8 and 9 are the opposite and very gentle.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It is only about 20 years or so since the draught limit was over 3m.

Isn't the depth set by the tops of the uphill gates, all of which always seem to be overflowing? Or is that just first thing in the day? In most places I'd have thought a metre deeper would cover the towpath.

 

[Quandary]

That applies at 14 (the banks of the western reach are porous above the current level and the water spills into the estuary) but in the top reach gates 8 and 9 are well above the level and do not overtop except in extreme conditions, that is why the swallows are happy to build their nests in them, The earlier depths were tabulated on a BW board at lock 1 which may have been removed as part of the gate replacement contract.

 

[ridgy]

Thought sea levels were rising, should be getting deeper no?

 

[penfold]

The skippers guide specifies 2.7m; I'm pretty sure the depth used to be nominally 10' or so, certainly a fully laden puffer drew something about that.

After months of dry weather and unbearably hot sunshine here, the canal is running out of water (who said global warming is not happening) Scottish Canals have announced that from Thur. 22nd July the current draught restriction of 2.3m will be reduced to 2.0m. They are also again reminding users to continue to economize on water use by sharing locks where possible.
It is only about 20 years or so since the draught limit was over 3m.