Locals will be well aware of the low water level in the upper part of the Pocklington Canal. PCAS Chair Tim Charlson is in frequent contact with the Canal & River Trust and has provided the following update.
A constant stream..
Some of the water that falls on the Yorkshire Wolds eventually
forms a single beck just north of the town of Pocklington. This beck
flows through, and under the town and eventually passes beneath
the A1079 (the main York to Hull trunk-road) close to the scrapyard
next to Canal Head. Before it passes under the road a small tunnel
or ‘feed’ controls the amount of water being diverted towards the
Pocklington Canal. This has always assured a supply of water to
maintain a level beneficial to both wildlife and users of the canal.
And everything worked well until the tunnel began to block with silt
and gravel..
At the beginning of December the water level at Canal Head was so
low that contractors were employed by the Canal & River Trust
(CRT) to remove all the fish that were now visible from the bank.
They were netted and taken to Melbourne for release into the canal.
Water was pumped across the field from the Beck to fill the Canal
Head pound as quickly as possible and the situation quickly
improved.
Specialist equipment was brought in to attempt to blow the silt and
gravel out through the feed but it made little headway and after
feeding a camera into the tunnel it became obvious that part of it
had collapsed.
CRT are now left with the task of maintaining the water level at
Canal Head from the Beck approximately 100yards away across a
field to supply the canal using an expensive pump.
PCAS is working closely with CRT to find a permanent solution to
ensure the water supply to the canal. We will keep you informed of
developments.
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