Access to the Gloucester Sharpness Canal could be restricted for six months due to drought conditions in the River Severn.
Potentially impacting both businesses and leisure boating, an order has been submitted to restrict navigation in and out of the canal for six months. If approved by Defra and the Welsh Government, it would see the full closure of the lock at Gloucester Docks, with passage at Sharpness restricted to commercial vessels only, according to local democracy reporter Carmelo Garcia.
Caused by a lack of rain in what is set to be one of the UK's driest summers on record, low water levels in the Severn have led the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales to take action to preserve the supply of drinking water to Bristol – around half of which comes via the Gloucester Sharpness Canal – in applying for the order.
The Canal and River Trust pumps around 245 million litres of water a day into Gloucester Docks, which then flows along the canal before being diverted into Bristol Water’s treatment works, more than 14 miles down the line at Purton.
A substantial amount of water is lost from the canal each time the locks at either end are used, with the trust saying the proposed restrictions are needed to maintain essential water in the canal.
While passage at Sharpness will be for commercial traffic only, the trust may try to accommodate leisure vessels with commercial shipping where possible.
Jay Clements, managing director of English Holiday Cruises Ltd whose Edward Elgar Hotel Boat is based at the docks, is set to be impacted by the order.
He said: 'We recognise the seriousness of the current drought and the need to protect the River Severn’s water resources.
'Our concern is not with responsible drought management, but with ensuring that any measures affecting navigation are proportionate, based on up-to-date operational evidence, and introduced only where genuinely necessary.'
A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: 'For the canal network, our priority is to keep water flowing to provide water to support the operation of Sharpness Docks and to meet the obligations for drinking water supply to Bristol Water.
They added: 'The current picture is changeable due to the developing nature of a drought; we will be updating customers and stakeholders of any additional measures we may need to take in line with the government’s approach following the Drought Order notice period.'
Members of the public had until Tuesday 25 August 2026 to appeal against the order, with a decision on the application expected to follow soon.
