The second phase of the Canal & River Trust’s dredging programme at Gloucester Docks has been completed.
A total of 9,000m3 of silt, equivalent to 3.6 Olympic swimming pools, has been removed in the latest phase of the £1 million programme that began last November.
Throughout the programme the Trust has been closely monitoring environmental conditions to prevent harm to the aquatic life in the Docks. With the programme due to come to an end, and with the current hot weather, the dredging has now ceased, as a rise in water temperature can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen which is important for fish welfare, and this can be exacerbated by dredging stirring up sediment.
Since early May, visitor moorings have been available and the focus on dredging has been on ensuring a navigable channel across the basin as well as the finger pontoons, Llanthony moorings, Gloucester Lock chamber, and the entrance to Victoria Basin.
Good progress has been made in these areas to ensure boats can moor in different locations around the Docks, with further dredging to commence in September to continue to improve depths.
The Docks are set to welcome thousands of visitors again this summer to enjoy the boats, history, events, boat trips and the popular National Waterways Museum Gloucester.
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