How to Get Mud Out of Gloucester Docks
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- How do you get mud out of Gloucester Docks? Many methods have been tried, non that successful since the year 2000 when dredging ceased using a bucket dredger. The end of 2023, beginning of 2024 saw modern cutter/suction equipment at use in endeavour to remove mud from Gloucester Docks.
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When i visited Bristol docks, i learnt in a small museum dedicated to Brunel, showing that when he built the docks, he incorporated underwater sluices that prevent the build up of silt and mud, by controlled "Flushing out", using those water gates. Just shows the foresight that, "Old fashioned Engineer", actually had. Beats some of our so called Modern Engineers, way out of the park.
Seaton Sluice, Northumberland. So named as, long ago, the river was bad for silting up and 'sluice gates' were used to hold back hightides/high water and the water released at low tide to scour the riverbed....
On a much smaller scale, but having the same effect, when Harlow Town Ponds were built, a series of pipes and valves would enable the draining and flushing of individual ponds.
The same process was used at Dover by I think Telford at one time.
Some times the old ways are the best. Unfortunately we don't have that facility at Gloucester
What strikes me with dredging ops’ is how the material rarely gets shipped out to fields etc away from the water to help erosion, be a soil improver etc.
No longer allowed under environmental legislation. It's classed as toxic waste nowadays.
pumping it all back into the Severn is I guess the easiest and cheapest option. Last year they did dump it on a farmer's field, (see an earlier film of mine) but finding other farmers who want it is not so easy.
Yes totally agree Chris, having had a lifetime of tugs and barges, that was what struck me too, how clean and immaculate the plant of SE Davis was, especially how dredging is the muckiest job on the waterfront! A great and very interesting video, thank you!
Hello I've worked and ran many dredging programs and the only long term solution is to determine the direction of ingress of mud and silt then a large hole or pit is dredged attest points and a permanent suction point placed in these pits were a periodic empting can take place by a simple pump system of a much smaller size than would be required to dredge the whole basin cost wise generally 50% cheaper over the long term
Many suggestions have been raised these past few months, ultimately it comes down to cost
Interesting. There used to be a bucket dredger out near the present QE2 bridge over the Thames in long reach clunking away day after day and the spoil going to marshland behind the sea wall.
She never moved aside from a small left to right.
Seems counter productive to remove the mud and silt then dump it back into same river 7 miles up stream. Why not offer it to farmers to rebuild fields from washout or some other disposal method. Hey, here’s an idea: simply dry it out, bag it and sell it back to homeowners as garden soil. Precisely what happens to farm land put to development here in that the good farm soil is removed, packaged and sold in garden centers as “soil”.
Hi Robert, pumping it all back into the Severn is I guess the easiest and cheapest option. Last year they did dump it on a farmer's field, (see an earlier film of mine) but finding other farmers who want it is not so easy.
A great video Chris, I am fairly new member and have just discovered this video. It was great to see so many viewers for this dredging video. I used the sharpness ship canal for many years on our trips out to sea. I eventually mored at Sharpness Marina until 2002. I really enjoy your weekly videos and look forward to getting them each week. Best wishes Alan
I remember somewhere around the early-to-mid 1980s they were building a series of locks and dams on the Red River in NW Louisiana and to dredge out the sand, they had a massive dredge on a barge that sucked up the sand / mud and then pumped it ashore where it dumped out over a vast area, slowly building up the land with the water eventually flowing back into the river after having dumped all the sediment. The pipe that came ashore looked to be at least 36" in diameter and it was a rather impressive flow rate... Bulldozers would periodically move the pipe and along with other earth moving equipment, redistribute the sand in the area which eventually became high enough to make into parks and apartment complexes...
I think that would be difficult to try on the Severn
The whole of the UK river system needs to be dredged like it used to be when river traffic was used. In my area boats used to travel up the River Severn as high as Shrewsbury, but now the river is no longer dredged ( may be due to EU laws that made councils treat dredging mud as 'toxic waste' ) which meant it had to be taken away and processes, massively increasing the cost of dredging. Whenever a river overtops its banks these days we get shouts of 'climate change causing the flooding' while in reality the rivers are shallower due to silting up and it needs a much smaller volume of water to cause flooding. Dredging is like installing a larger guttering on your roof, a 6 inch gutter will never overflow, but a 3 inch gutter will always overflow easily...
The Severn between Gloucester & Stourport was only dredged in the past at the locks. Otherwise it was self dredged by the large amount of commercial barges clearing their own channel
great video! The best dredgers years ago was the ships, tugs and barges moving the mud in and out. When they were busy the docks there were like here on the thames, then came the idea that rivers were self dredging! no there was no money from trade to pay for the dredging and no room for spoil disposal. thanks for posting.
Totally agree
I remember the petrol barges when my family had a boat at Kempsey int the early fifties . Great times
Hi all I live near but work in Hull, hull and all sitting along side river Humber has same problem.
IV been on jobs, washing lock gates out, sometimes removing 80 ton in one gate.
As for river hull.....IV been told by older chaps that worked on tugs and barges on river yes ago.....
All the old chaps say the same....very little river traffic nowadays hence river silting up and now flooding is always happening up stream..
Your dock is same.....lack of use with water that's heavily full of mud.
As old saying goes use it or loose it.
Basically.....you need water flow combined with prop wash....to keep things clear.
Sitting.................
Same problem here, lack of commercial traffic on the Severn
@@chrisclarke7828 silting......it's my auto correct thing kicking in, sorry
When I worked for a living we would pump mud under docks with divers and dredges in open areas. Although sometimes we would have to jacket the docks pilings
Interesting
Interesting programme. Out of curiosity would there be a benefit in pumping such mud and silt behind river banks so the land level built up in these areas thus potentially improving flood defences and over a period of time possibly improve fields for agriculture?
The EU passed laws in 2008/9 meaning the dredged mud was classed as 'toxic waste' and had to be taken to special sites to be treated, this massively increased the cost of dredging and basically meant nobody dredged anything any more.... Heaven forbid that stopping dredging would cause rivers to flood.
@@chrissmith2114 Ah! Sounds like SSI verges. Councils want these mown and grass collected not mulched. This is now industrial waste so can only be moved to an approved industrial wast site. Contractor must buy a waste licence, collect the grass cuttings and put on trailer then transport them to waste site to be disposed of with fee. If it is other side of county can take all day for a half acre verge. Council don’t want to pay actual cost.
As I understand it not many landowners want it on their land
Over a period of time the mud pumped into the River Severn may also ‘silt up’
Yes, it does already!
Very interesting video!
As we are NOT IN THE EU what had the dredging got to do with them!!!
Historic, when we were in 2000. Like you I wonder why we don't go back to the old ways
Most enjoyable thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching
Well done video.
Many thanks
Is this not just going to transfer the problem into the Main Severn, 60m2 p/h is over 300t of silt.
i was wondering this myself, but im assuming the flow rate of river can handle it
They hope that the strong flow of the current following a spring tide will take it away.
Hello Mr. Witts,
A wonderful and very detailed and interesting video about a more than ingenious new technique for getting mud out of your docks in Gloucester! Many greetings from Styria, Austria 🇦🇹, Christoph G.
PS: I really like your RUclips channel, that's why I gave you a subscription! 🤝
Your comments are much appreciated, I don't get many views from Austria!
@@ChrisWitts
Dear Mr Witts, it is very nice to be able to get to know a part of England through your films! Greetings from the Graz area, Styria, AUSTRIA 🇦🇹, Christoph G. 🙂
Very interesting video.
Thanks
I am glad to hear the docks are dredged. but is this a one off operation or will it be an annual event. Will the canal from Sharpness to Gloucester be dredged to the same level as well
It maybe twice each year. I think the company is coming back this September to dredge again.
I enjoyed the film BUT...Please be mindful that your music isn't louder than your voice. Listening through headphones, I found it way too loud
Agree. Music was too loud.
Definitely get rid of the music. 🇬🇧😀
Always a problem, from messages I receive 50% like the music, 50% don't. I try to please you all ...
Wurzles. Captain of a dredger. Best song ever
OK
Really interesting 👏👏
Many Thanks
Fascinating, worked as an extra on a couple of films there.
Wonder how the Davis company got into mud clearance (suckered into it I suppose).
Many thanks for your comment
Excellent video, though I've no idea how this popped into my feed. I do have a friend you works in the shipyard there so always keen to see content such as this. Noted that company has theior own transport and it and the dredger looked tidy.
Slight criticism of the music sound level, which I thought too high under the talking but excellent otherwiose.
Thanks, music is a problem, some like it, some don't!
That's clever machine good nice
Yes sorry i made 4 minutes into it before the music done me.!? Otherwise good. Thank you
Why put silt back into a river? Why not use dredge spoils for fill?
Cost is the simple answer and finding somewhere to dump it.
Gloucester Docks was wonderful...As a young lorry driver(now an old one)...I loded many a load of Timber....Flour....Peat from Ireland etc....Cafe in the docks made monster doorstep bacon butties....Happy Days...Then boats got bigger and Sharpness grew....A busy dock is Sharpness to this day...Gloucester Quays is excellent now for shopping Strolling and Eating and Drinking .A Must Visit is The Waterways Museum....Super.....Tall Ships her later this year 2024.....Gloucestershire....Gloucestershire Born and Bred....Strong in The Arm Weak in The Head ....or(Good in Bed))Ha Ha....Take your pick.....I Live The Dream in Gloucestershire..!!!!!!!!
Oops ""Loaded""not loded...Oops ." Here not her....Sorry...All in haste after a busy 15 hour day.......
Had to turn the sound off because the music was too loud.
Sorry,
Would have been good to understand how it was it is done. What havens below, the technique and what happens to the non-silt stuff.
Excellent news that CRT are now dredging in an effective way. The previous approach with diggers looked very slow and inefficient
On the face of it, it seems to me as though the mud from the docks is being used to silt up the Severn.
if they have ahold of the silt , so to speek , get it out of water courses. pumping back to river is madness !!!
interesting vid tho
Few Paddy's with shovels?....................and snorkels.
@@fenrichlee2867 If it helps production then good, smoke that too.
@fenrichlee2867 My first job after leaving school at 15 was with a gang of paddies our 'motto' was ''Dig it deep and throw it well back'', we had no excavators and always called a steamroller for any tarmac work that we laid by hand. The 'crack' as you ask is the 'Craic' and l know it well because it was part of my 'schooling' after work, at almost 76 l have never forgotten.
Interesting
What exactly was the EU directive that stoped dredging previosly?
It came out in 2000, not to take mud out of an enclosed dock into fresh air, most of the EU ignored it!
One has to question the practice of dredging, hauling the muck upstream and dumping it back into the river. Just the total opposite of constructive mitigation. SMH
At Gloucester it is simply sucked off the dock bed and pumped back into the nearby Severn.
could re-title this how to throw away topsoil
what ever is done with the mud it will return to mud as soon as its in contact with water.what could be done is to change the mud to a pernenant solid somehow.baking?adding cement and baking?adding clay and baking?making blocks?throw some money at it.or is that the problem?
Dredge it out and give it back to the farmers, they are largely responsible and it is nutrient rich so would be of benefit.
That "background" music,please no more. I'm interested in the dock and visit regularly so want to hear the commentary
A problem that man has dealt with for a couple of thousand years
You should try mud eating snakes. They’ll make quick work of the problem.
Spoiled by obtrusive music - turn the volume down.
Sorry
Be digging some artifacts dug up
Surely just dredging mud and silt, out of Gloucester Dock basins, then dumping the mud and silt directly into the River Severn.
Is not the best idea, plus just moving the problem, of Mud and Silt elsewhere only too?
So this is just causing a year in year out recycling problem, not just in Gloucester Dock Basins but in the River Severn so.
Along with helping to cause the River Svern water level to rise up the river banks, plus helping to cause more annual river flooding along the River Severn too.
With Climate Change and more and more Heavy Rain Fall, equally more High Sea Storms and Higher Tidal Flows, which come up the River Severn Estuary nto the River Severn more and more, all the way upto Worcester let alone Tewkesbury.
That by just transferring this Mud and Silt, from one place to another place repeatedly, will actually go on for decades while never solving the problem totally too!
All what is being done, is just recycling the same Mud and Silt time and time again, what a waste of time too!
Just by dumping the liquidised Mud and Silt into the River Severn, only for it to sink to the bottom of the River Severn.
Then the inward daily river tides, are just brings this dumped Mud and Silt from the River Severn back into Gloucester Dock Basins annuly too.
Along with costing British Taxpayers and local Council Taxpayers, more and more money annually or by annually over the decades, with more and more every ending dredging bills too.
Surely Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire Council, along with DEFRA and River authorities, plus Canal Trust too.
Can come up with a better idea, to do with this dredged Mud and Silt, which is rich in nutrients?
Which would be good surely to local farmers land and for growing food or for raising cattle and sheep or pigs and chickens etc too.
Or use this dredged Mud and Silt, to build flood defences, in other worlds building raise Silt and Mud berms which are covered with grass turf too?
Than dumping mud in the River Severn repeatedly, so causing a silting issue in the River Severn too.
Therefore causing navigation issues, along the River Severn too, both upstream and down stream from Gloucester!
Also causing problems and issues, for other Councils and local authorities along the River Severn banks, either upstream or downstream equally too!
River flooding is a national problem and issue, for all local Councils and authorities, plus the Canal Trust, DEFRA and River authorities too.
Is it not time to rethink dredging operation along our inland waterways, ports, harbours, River Estuaries and Coastal waters.
Especially with regards coastal erosion, becoming even more a problem around the UK Coastline.
Why not use all dredged Mud and Silt, as new short term coastal defences.
That is to protect UK Coastline and cliff plus beaches areas being victims of coastal erosion?
As UK coastal erosion is becoming major issue around the UK, as more and more cliffs, sand dunes and beaches, are subjected to erosion by the sea and tides plus coastal stroms too.
Using dredged Mud and Silt is mixed with coastal plants seeds, which then is used to fill up sea defence manmade fabric baskets.
Which these mud and seeds filled baskets are interlocked with each, also these baskets designed that will fall apart or dissolve over years.
While the seeds grow into coastal plants, holding the Mud and Silt together, so helping to create a natural sea barrier or defences .
If nothing else to help slow down coastal erosion, in some UK coastline areas, if it does not stop erosion totally?
Seems you’re moving the problems somewhere else
Simple call the Dutch...
Why can't the muck be put on the field, salt?
there is often oil contaminants from the ships, sometimes even "black water" aka sewage leaked from them that all settles to the bottom of silty waters when the silt settles.
Sharpness canal is a freshwater canal.
Tony Beets would have it sorted no bother.
Only if there is gold there!
Ruddy music . Get rid it's not wanted .
I'd have thought using the mud to build up low lying farm land would be a sensible means of disposal.
Too much music.
You need to turn the music down. A lot. Off completely would be best.
How & why did the EU ban the existing process?!
As usual ,nothing wrong with original system . Doing the same thing
Ended by EU directive - typical 🙄
Please send the dredgers to watchet in somerset as the lease holder of the marina has gone bust and the marina is now so silted up only 40 boats left as they can't get out. Utter disgrace and the council don't want to know either.
I live in QLD Australia and I’ve never seen water so disgusting
Hi Paul, it's not as bad as it looks! It is silt picked up off Weston super Mare and brought on the tides up the Severn to Gloucester. The pumps as well as pumping water into Gloucester Docks, pumps in the silt as well. This then settles on the dock bed and what causes the problem.
Get them sent to the broads teach the broads authority a lessen on how to manage stilt
If you don't use the water it Silt's up no bloody common sense today.😡
So you cannot dredge it and put it back in the river but you can dredge it and put it back in the river , you have to love EU directives.
Please stop that awful background noise. What a racket.
I love the dramatic music. Makes me want to DREDGE something!
I want it turned up louder!!!
There is a volume button on your device, don’t be afraid to use it!
@@_deanodonoghue if you want people to watch your videos, you should not expect them to keep turning the volume up and down for the duration of the video. Don't be such a damn dickhead.
BEST regards from South Africa
I agree it is pretty awful. What is the point of it. 🤷♀️
Take it out and put it back you've got a job for life; What a con. Sell it ass top soil to people that have stony ground, providing it hasn't any contaminates in it. And Take that horrible music off unless you also own a company selling hearing aides.
The music junked another video 👎👎👎👎👎💩💩💩😬
Why on earth would a EU directive apply here?
What dreadful rowdy music totally unnecessary 😳🇳🇿
Stop the background music.....awful and distracting.
Please remove that horrible, unrequested music from your vlog. We would like to hear what you are saying. I can't stand the racket, so I'm gone.
Tell the woke brigade that slavers put the silt there
Very interesting, but the only thing I do not understand is why the river Severn has to suffer from an ingress of mud ?.
Not very Bright is it pumping it back into the River very very Dumb in fact
Not really. If you compare the amount of mud in the estuary to the insignificant amount in the dock. The estuary mud is continuously trying to get into the dock. The rate of infill will be the same if you dumped the mud in the river or elsewhere . Lived by the Severn dangerous stretch of water.
Get the people out first