Basingstoke Canal stretch closed as water levels fall

Water levels on the Basingstoke Canal have dropped during hot, dry weather

A stretch of canal has been closed to boats as water levels fall during the extended period of dry weather.

The Basingstoke Canal Authority said navigation by boats using the waterway between Aldershot and Brookwood had been suspended.

It also warned of the growth of algae and "deceptively muddy beaches" forming at the side of the waterway.

Local boat hire companies have warned business may become unviable if the low water levels continue.

Ash Lock on the Basingstoke Canal was closed earlier in the summer

The canal authority has already closed Ash Lock to maintain water levels on the 16-mile Hampshire stretch of the canal, which is still navigable.

It added dogs and people should stay out of the water, as stirring up mud reduces oxygen levels for fish and other wildlife.

Canoeing and paddle sports are continuing but may be restricted if levels continue to fall.

Opened in 1794, the 32-mile Basingstoke Canal was built to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge and is now managed as a haven for wildlife and a location for leisure pursuits.

The canal which is managed jointly by Hampshire and Surrey county councils, does experience regular water shortages as it is not fed from rivers or a reservoir, but users say levels are at their lowest since the drought of 1976.

Susan Horton, who regularly walks along the towpath, said: "You can see the roots of trees appearing, and when you get close to Woking a lot of the locks have been closed off, the water levels are so low."

Arthur McCaffrey believes a further drop in water levels would halt his boat hire business

Marisa Heath, chair of the management committee that oversees the canal, said it was "experiencing significant water shortages".

"We want to ensure that visitors to the canal are aware of the impacts of this drought, and take extra care where necessary," she added.

"This will allow everyone to continue to enjoy the benefits of this outdoor attraction safely, whilst helping us to safeguard the wide variety of wildlife that rely on the canal."

Arthur McCaffrey, who runs a boat hire company in Odiham, Hampshire, where the canal is still navigable, said business was still "very, very much affected" by low water levels.

He said if levels dropped by "another two inches", it would become unviable.