Caledonian Canal breach repaired

THE Scottish Caledonian Canal that breached in March has now been repaired and once again open to boating.

It was a weir that gave way at Cullochy near Fort Augustus, being unable to withstand the flood caused by melting snow, that destroyed the structure and caused a major breach in the canal bank, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Significant flooding

At its height, it was estimated that 20 tonnes of water was draining from the waterway every second, causing significant flooding.

A dam was built across the breach to control the flow, then the breach was made safe with metal piling backfilled by rock.  All the silt that had been washed out of the canal into the Oich was then removed.

The Caledonian Canal is Scotland's most important waterway connecting the East coast at Inverness with the West coast at Corpach near Fort William. The above picture shows Neptune's Staircase on the waterway.