Sunday, December 27, 2015

Not going anywhere soon…

We’re quite safe in Granary Wharf, situated as we are between Office and River Locks, and with C&RT chaps visiting regularly to manage the water levels here to prevent flooding into the hotel and apartments alongside.20151227_094315
Although they were called out at 2 o’clock this morning. The hotel evacuated their guests as the water rose above the copings towards their walls. The River Aire above Office Lock was flowing into the canal. Unneccesary disruption as it turned out, opening sluices on both locks dropped the levels down to where they are now in an hour. Of course, securely lashed to our floating pontoon, we slept through the drama.

But it’s not so peaceful below River Lock…

I took Meg upstream this morning, to have a look at the river coming into Leeds. By this time the river had dropped a foot from the 2 AM high, no longer running into the canal, and the canal itself was dropping with the lock sluices open.

Office Lock had been flooded at one point…
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The Aire is running fast and wide.
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After breakfast I set off to have a look downstream. Most of the waterside footpaths are under water, so it meant walking along the road. Although they were damp in places, too.
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If you look closely you can see where someone tried, and failed, to get through.

I wanted to have a look at Clarence Dock, next to the Royal Armouries. About a mile downstream, the sanitary station on the other side of the dock will be needed soon for elsan disposal…

This is the scene at Clarence Dock and Leeds Lock…
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Sorry, panned a bit fast...

The flood gates are closed, protecting Clarence Dock from the river water. 20151227_095949

Below the lock the water had backed up into Armouries Square, leaving a film of silt on the paving stones…
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…although I was told that the Royal Armouries Museum wasn’t affected and was open as usual.

Bad news for us, and those moored in Clarence Dock…20151227_101127
…the sanitary station is flooded. As the water has been a couple of feet higher than at present, I guess there’ll be some damage.
The mooring pontoon and access ramp are both twisted out of shape.

Coming back I took a picture of the Asda head office on Waterside. It’s not flooded, but I was part of the team that put all that guttering and atrium cladding up.
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Back at River Lock just below where we’re moored… and it’s a bit wild!20151227_104613

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It’s going to take a while before the river is back to navigable condition, I guess. And even then a close eye will be needed on the weather forecast. With everything so soggy, even fairly light rain will probably have an impact on the levels.
Still, it’s sunny today.

Locks 0, miles 0

7 comments:

Steve and Angela said...

Glad all is well. We were thinking about you when we heard about the floods in Leeds.
Looks like you could be there for a while.
Steve and Angela.

Alf said...

Glad you are ok

Geoff and Mags said...

Thanks folks. No problem where we are, and the river has dropped maybe 7 or 8 feet from this time yesterday. The rate of fall will slow down now, though.

KevinTOO said...

Goodness, that's a fair amount of water...
fortunate that you have a good mooring :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Geoff. When we moored in Granary Wharf a few years ago there was an Elsan available there. It wasn't marked but if you went into the estate office you could collect a key. Maybe it is no longer there?
Mike

Carol said...

Glad to hear that you’re both safe and well, hope they get the facilities sorted before you need them desperately! xx

Robbo said...

The Elsan got removed (along with the shower) over a year ago. It was at the bottom of the Candle House. The area is now looked after by CRT, so no charges to moor anymore.