Dredging update January 2021
The Stroudwater Navigation is fed by several streams from the Stroud Valleys and whilst we certainly must have water input at the higher canal levels to maintain navigational depths through our locks, these also present a major challenge.
Silt washed down during heavy rainfall periods and considerable quantities of debris in the form of vegetation, and wood from trees in various sizes cause blockages to some canal inlet screens, sluices and weirs as well as decreasing the depth of the canal.
Dredging the canal
Stroud Valleys Canal Company (SVCC) are looking at ways of addressing the causes by minimising the stream debris and silt by installing upstream measures to contain and/or trap material, but for the foreseeable future dredging will remain a key activity to enable vessel movements.
If possible we will deposit dredgings directly onto the banks alongside the canal, but this is not possible or practical everywhere therefore we need additional areas of land adjacent to the canal to deposit excess silt & vegetation, which entails reaching agreements with landowners. Much of our canal silt is known to be beneficial to land due to the nature of the material and the associated nutrients and we confirm these benefits by taking silt analyses and field investigations prior to any deposits.
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To understand the scale of the problem, we estimate that around 50,000 m3 will need to be cleared within the Stroudwater and to achieve this CCT & SVCC have already invested in dredgers, excavators, tugs, mudboats and dumpers, all operated by volunteers.
Now that the restoration of Phase 1B has been secured with Heritage Lottery funding, this has resulted in a much-increased dredging resource over and above the existing 1A requirements, so we have recently reviewed our dredging capabilities.
The volunteer Dredging Team meet monthly and comprise of CCT and SVCC Trustees.
Covid-19 has currently curtailed operations but we look forward to resuming asap; 2 further large field areas have been identified to service both 1A & 1B and agreements in principle reached with landowners; we are currently finalising agreements and working methods.
The workload over the next 3-4 years will require a minimum of 4-day working so we are looking for additional volunteers to join our team in undertaking this important and interesting activity. Training will be available and should anyone be interested then please contact the office on mail@cotswoldcanals.org or 01453 752568 or sign up on our Volunteer system Connect.
