Please see the update below from the Thames River Users Group 8.
Dear all,
The information below is from a Boater Briefing issued on 29th July by the Environment Agency.
Boater briefing
Low flows in the non-tidal River Thames and impacts on boating
Low flows - what to be aware of.
Since March we have experienced significantly lower than average rainfall across the Thames catchment. Flows in the River Thames, its tributaries, and groundwater levels across the Cotswolds are now lower than normal for this time of year.
Water levels in the non-tidal River Thames may be lower than normal in some places, and therefore parts of the river may be shallower than normal. We are asking boaters to take extra care - especially immediately downstream of locks - where the natural gradient of the river means levels are always lower than elsewhere in the reach. Our Lock and Weir Keepers or Volunteer Assistant Lock Keepers will advise you of any known shallow areas ahead of you.
Additionally, there is significant plant growth in the river, so regularly check your prop and line through the reach to make effective progress.
What we are doing to manage water levels for navigation
There is increasing pressure on drink water abstraction from the river, and we are having to balance this with the needs of wildlife and boaters.
We will do all that we can to maintain water levels in order to provide our published River Thames: distances and measurements for boaters - GOV.UK. Please remember that the drafts serve only as a guide and cannot be guaranteed, especially during particularly dry weather. You should check your boat's draft and plan your cruising accordingly.
Where necessary, weirs are fully closed, and we are placing ‘summer boards’ on those that can accommodate them to raise their height. This helps to maintain water levels for a longer period. We are also conducting additional checks for any leaks in our weir gates and ensuring they are repaired or staunched (plugged) where possible.
Every time a lock is used, a substantial volume of water is lost downstream. The more we can limit this, the more water is retained in the reach above, helping to maintain levels.
What you can do to help
Please make effort to conserve water. This can be through reducing the frequency you clean your boat and using a bucket rather than a hose. We also ask that you do not use drinking water from our locks or other sites to wash down your boat. Please use river water to wash boats instead.
We request that you share locks with as many boats as you can wherever possible. Always let the Lock Keeper know if there are boats travelling behind you in the reach so that you can transit the lock together and avoid unnecessary water losses. We may ask you to wait short periods to reduce the number of lockings.
We all need to do our part to conserve water usage to ensure that we can continue boating for as long as possible during this prolonged dry period.
Please be patient and respectful towards our Lock and Weir Keepers and Volunteer Assistant Lock Keepers.
Updates will be posted on GOV.UK, X and Facebook as the summer progresses.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
River Thames Waterways Team
Regards,
John Adams
RUG8 Teddington Reach Coordinator