Due to low water level at Durleigh Reservoir,

• SYCSA has cancelled our Saturday Morning Sailing Club
• Water level permitting, we will re-open on 1st October.
• Please watch this space for updates.

• We are still running the Saturday afternoon adult course

Update on 9th September pumping water into Durleigh from the canal began, so the water level is very slowly rising again.

This is the first time we have had to cancel due to low water level, which is out of our control.

This year Wessex Water will stop pumping water out of Durleigh Reservoir on Monday (5th Sept), but are unable to top up the level by pumping water into the reservoir from the canal until the sea/salt water levels in the canal fall.

The canal is owned by British Waterways, so although Wessex have authority to pump from the canal they have no control over the water quality. The date when pumping into Durleigh will begin is unknown. Once pumping does begin, it will take 2 – 3 weeks to get the water level up to sailing depth.
The sea water entered the canal on a spring tide by coming over a flood gate from the River Parrett.

Hence the gates clearly need improving to prevent spring tide incursion every year (the same problem seems to occur every year).
Neither of the two water companies seem bothered about the knock on effect on the sailors, fishermen or water users in Bridgwater.

For more details contact Peter Branson