Posted by Gordon on September 06, 2006 at 23:49:06 from 87.242.130.151 user Coniston_Old_Man.
In Reply to: Lake levels (was Wild Cat Island) posted by Jock on September 05, 2006 at 09:27:15:
Robert's post shows the water level at about 18 inches below its maximum, so whilst it was high on Monday (when I think he took the photos) it was not VERY high.There is a natural rise and fall of over 5ft.
The Crake was indeed 'dredged' some years ago, but the only discernable effect this had was to remove flood water quicker than had preciously been the case. It did NOT have any major effect upon the water level except during spate.
What DID change things was the removal of the artificial timber weir that had been in place for many many years and that had, I think, originally been installed to enable an unobstructed passage of rowing barges to the Copper House at Nibthwaite. The wet boathouses that had been built whilst this weir was in place were thus left dry at 'normal' times when the weir was removed.
The 'unnatural beach' at the end of Lake Road is, I fear, more the result of erosion of the grassy sward by human feet, launching trolleys, canoe trailers and the like.
Gordon
Coniston Launch Swallows & Amazons cruises