Cooper Bridge Weir - Work To Begin

Work to repair the collapsed weir at Cooper Bridge on the Calder and Hebble Navigation is to get under way next Tuesday, on 10th March 2009. It is hoped that the work can be completed by March 31st 2009.

Firstly a stone access road will be built to allow vehicles to reach the weir. This will enable the breach (see photo) to be filled with large stone to form a short-term repair.

David Crane of British Waterways said: "We are going to be working on a design for a long term permanent solution which will be carried out as part of the stoppage programme in 2011," explained . This will give us time to assess all suitable options and mean we can build the works into future budgets."

He added that work would take place seven days a week to complete the work as quickly as possible, but warned that this would be subject to river conditions, which can significantly affect BW's ability to carry out the works.

A BW Yorkshire team will be joined by colleagues from the East Midlands and an experienced contractor in order to carry out the work in the desired time.

The Calder and Hebble Navigation is particularly prone to flooding and dramatic changes in level. It was flash flooding in January, when large volumes of water were carried down from the Pennines after heavy rain, that washed away a section of the weir. The river level above the weir is so low that navigation is not possible, and this includes the entrance to the Huddersfield Broad Canal.

A year earlier, flooding further downstream on the Calder and Hebble Navigation had sunk one narrowboat and left another stranded on the towpath (see photos).