The River Severn is entering drought regulation and water resources feeding the canal have dropped significantly. The current & predicated river flows and tide cycles will significantly reduce our capacity to pump water to support un-restricted lockages at Gloucester & Sharpness.
As a result, the following demand management measures will need to be implemented until such time as river flows recover:
From Monday 23 May until further notice:
Sharpness Port:
The lock will be closed to Leisure craft on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The lock will be open to Leisure craft on the daytime tides on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays only.
Please note: Subject to safety considerations and lock availability, it may be possible for Leisure craft to sail with booked commercial vessels on all tides throughout the week. Customers should check the availability of these additional lockage’s with Sharpness Pier Head. Customers should note that commercial sailings are not regular and are subject to late change and update. The availability of these additional lockages may be limited.
Gloucester Lock:
The lock will be restricted to Leisure craft.
Lockages will be taken at 8am, 10am, 12 noon, 3pm and 5pm daily.
The normal cycle for a lockage will be lock open to canal traffic 45mins, lock down, lock open to river traffic 45mins, lock up.
The Lock Keeper will look to limit the impact on customers wherever practical and where safety considerations require such as tides additional lockages may be allowed.
We would ask customers for patience where their journeys are delayed.
Commercial craft are requested wherever possible to limit the use of Gloucester Lock to the times given above.
Upper Lode Lock:
Boats travelling to Gloucester will be advised not to continue with their journey to Gloucester if they leave Upper Lode after 4pm.
We genuinely understand the concerns customers may have with the implementation of these measures but must advise that further restrictions may be required should flows in the River Severn continue to fall. However should it be necessary to continue to escalate water management measures over the course of the summer British Waterways will work to ensure the best balance of measures is implemented.
These measures will next be reviewed on the 30 May or sooner should the water resource position of the River Severn improve.
Please contact Gloucester Lock on 01452 310832 for information on restrictions at Gloucester Lock or for Sharpness Lock bookings & restrictions Sharpness Pier Head on 01453 511968 or Sharpness Supervisor on 07710175125.
