Pike Lock Pound reinstated
Pike Lock Pound reinstated
by: Will F.
Over the past two years, Volunteers from across the CCC partnership (including SDC, CCT, GWT and SVP), have been working to reinstate the canal pound between Pike Lock and Dock Lock. The canal had been effectively drained for over 10 years and the bottom and sides had lush growth…with some endangered rodents taking up residence. Back in 2020 it looked like this:
The presence of water voles held up work significantly whilst help and expertise from Ecologist Mike Dean and the necessary Natural England licences were obtained plus a suitable relocation habitat identified upstream on the canal. Following successful translocation of 6 of these protected rodents, the old habitat area was available for canal restoration to took place.
Much work was done in preparation for the next set of actions including improving the access track, leasing a strip of land next to the canal for vehicle and materials movement and then fencing this off to protect the public and safeguard the landlord’s property.
With a long reach excavator, we were able to remove the vegetation from both banks and also profile the canal to the correct depth and shape of the walls.
Work could now start on several canal features The old spill weir (for setting the water level) was cleared, the brick work tidied up and the outfall to the Oldbury Brook isolated. The new bypass channel from the rather ugly concrete edifice that had been installed in (1993??) was also cleared and a contractor engaged to dig a deep trench and install the large bypass pipe exiting below the lock. The block wall entrance to the old Dry Dock had to be resealed, and the crumbling plastic protection alongside the old dock removed, to be replaced by a new wall.
The ground was cleared, a concrete base installed and then a new wall built using “porcupine blocks”. (see TROW 205 Autumn 2024 issue). This was sealed at the back by pouring in 7 cu m of concrete with special sealants used to create a waterproof barrier at each end.
Several trees along the canal banks had to be removed so that the towpath could be reinstated to the proper width and to prevent the trees falling into the canal as the water was reintroduced.
The Dock Lock stop planks were next carefully fitted in place in sequence over a few weeks so that as the water level rose, any subsequent impact on the surrounding properties could be monitored. Using the bucket of an excavator helps hold down the planks which can then be wedged in place, otherwise they have a tendency to float when first introduced to water.
The profiled canal banks have been replanted with a mixture of 1,500 riparian (marginal) plants recommended by ecologists, supplied by Habitat Aid. The mix is mostly made of Glyceria maxima (reed sweet-grass) which acts as great food and cover for water voles for the future. The mix also includes: yellow-flag iris, branched bur-reed, greater tussock-sedge, blue sedge and cyperus sedge. The volunteers were from Stroud Valleys Project (led by Ruth) joined by some from CCT.
The bypass outfall from Pike Lock also needed some attention and several tons of blue clay were used to seal the canal bank from further erosion.
With the recent heavy rain there was no problem with the pound filling up! The vista from Pike Lock Bridge is now a pleasing aspect: showing a relatively short stretch of restored canal, but one which demonstrates both the complexity of renovation of this Lottery funded work and the wide range of skills and expertise required for this work. Volunteers celebrated in late October the first boat on this stretch of canal for very many years.
