Castleford - Four Days Later!

In the previous blog the first pictures show the waterways at Castleford  -  the River Aire flowing over the weir, and the area of the flood-lock at the end of the lock-cut.

That was four days ago.  After the torrential rain in the Calder valley last night, a month's worth in 24 hours, the same scenes looked like this.  The weir has almost disappeared.  These water levels are only 6 inches less than the highest recorded in modern times.

Compare the two sets of photographs.

What fish, eel, lamprey and otter ladder?

The conduits near the mill have been over-topped.

But the geese have found a sheltered spot out of the very fast flowing waters.

At the confluence of the rivers Calder and Aire  -  in the foreground the entrance to Castleford cut to bypass the weir.  The red traffic light indicates navigation is prohibited and, not surprisingly, the gates of the flood-lock are closed.  Four days ago they remained open.

The levels are so high that water is running through the top slats of the closed flood-gates.

As a result the water-levels in the lock-cut have risen substantially.

The green boat on the left is heeling over because a mooring rope, to the centre of the roof, has been tied too tight.  We, of course, slackened it off.



As I type  -  the whole of the Rochdale Canal has been closed to navigation, its route being along the inundated Calder valley.

And all of this water, and more, will end up at Airmyn  -  then into the Ouse, then into the Humber.  Truely Waterways of the Humber.