by: Bob H.
Well, it may be so on the surface, but like the Duck on a fast-flowing stream, all is far from calm and level underneath.
Many of us know only too well that there are sections of the Canal which are quite shallow - we on the dredging team (Wet and dry) are working hard to remedy that. We are removing quite large volumes of silt and other debris to restore the level to around 1.5 metres in the main channel, with deep enough edges to get to the banks.
We found a very helpful company, Land and Satellite Services,
who have equipment which measures quite accurately the water depth and the precise locations of all the pesky shallow bits. Accurate to 2mm anyway!!
All the measurements are done without anyone getting in a boat, pontoon or coracle. It’s all done from the bank with a radio-controlled boat, gps, laptop and a live connection to bang up to date Ordnance Survey data. Depth is taken every 1/2 metre or so the boat travels.
Tomorrow we do a bit of follow-up on sections where trees stop the gps or the mobile signal don’t work because of overhanging trees and mobile dead spots. Thank you all boat crews and dredgers for suspending work tomorrow for a day (silt free water is needed). We’ll report later on the findings.
