Category Archives: Waterways management

Barge sinks on Lough Derg

Killaloe Coast Guard story here.

Killaloe

The installation of the new pontoon, the flood control gates (flash lock) and the walkway continues apace.

Walkway (left) and pontoon from the lockhouse

The lower (nearer) section of pontoon may be for the lakeboat hire business

Boats mooring on the lower end of the pontoon, and turning to approach upstream, may get quite close to the bridge. The navigation markers may confuse too: perhaps they’ll be relocated.

The flood control gates (flash lock?)

From upstream (and uphill)

It all looks very nice. There are lots of people working on site.

Alliance Party (NI) backs Ulster Canal

From the party’s 2011 manifesto:

Inland waterways and fisheries
Alliance calls for recognition of the needs to sustainably develop our inland waterways and fisheries – protecting and enhancing their bio-diversity while at the same time developing their recreational and leisure potential.

Alliance supports the regeneration and development of our inland waterways system, including the re-opening of the Ulster Canal. We recognise that funding needs to be explored on a partnership basis with interested bodies.

Alliance believes that improving water quality, including the revision of pollution controls, and appropriate planning measures are priorities for the effective and efficient management of inland waterways, recreational angling and commercial fisheries. We believe that increased co-operation between angling organisations and other environmental bodies would be beneficial, for example in meeting the challenge of biodiversity.

Alliance is committed to supporting the work of the North/South Body on Inland Waterways, to ensure a co-ordinated approach in border areas and to develop their potential throughout both areas.

Clontarf to Clondra II

Maark Gleeson of Clontarf Yacht & Boat Club has kindly given me details of the Club’s recent trip along the Royal, with notes on the time taken and some useful advice, especially about the tides in Dublin.

Keeping Galway dry

A page about the ESB pumping stations on the embankments above Portumna.

The Ulster Canal and the NI Assembly elections

The importance of the Ulster Canal is shown in the number of times it is mentioned in the election manifestos of the political parties.

Number of mentions of Ulster Canal in DUP manifesto: 0
Number of mentions of Ulster Canal in SDLP manifesto: 0
Number of mentions of Ulster Canal in Sinn Féin manifesto: 0
Number of mentions of Ulster Canal in TUV manifesto: 0
Number of mentions of Ulster Canal in UUP manifesto: 0

Power play

The ESB owns or controls certain parts of Hayes Island, in the middle of Portumna Bridge, on the Shannon at the upper end of Lough Derg. Many boats moor to the island: some had long-standing agreements with ESB and others had indirect arrangements. ESB has now, by posting a notice on a gate, given the boat-owners 21 days to remove their boats. It seems that the ESB was officially unaware that it had boats moored on its land, although it certainly made agreements with some of the boaters and it supplied electricity to others.

I have asked the ESB press office for information but it has not yet replied.

Lough Ree

Unlike Loughs Derg, Erne and Neagh, Lough Ree does not have a Coast Guard approved declared-resource rescue service, although Athlone Sub Aqua Club, Waveline/Quigley’s and no doubt others have provided help to boats in trouble. Now, it seems, Damien Delaney is hoping to set up a formal, approved service, according to the Wesstmeath Examiner.

ESB cuts

My spies (who are everywhere) tell me that the ESB has issued notices to owners of some boats moored at Hayes’s Island, Portumna, telling them to remove their boats within some short period. At least one owner has a long-standing legal agreement with the ESB, although it does allow ESB to issue short notice.

Further information would be welcome.

 

Waterways: technical innovation

New development in UK to fight leaks from canals. Full story here.