Epic Leven Levels

[lancs_lad]

My mate paddled the top section of the Leven today. The police tried to stop them getting on. Apparently the river was flowing over Backbarrow bridge and has done some damage to it!

He didnt have a camera, anyone got pics who lives near it?

[Jon]

Yeah I got some today. no one is sure if the bridge is still there until the water drops. The walls have been swept away. The pipe bridge also was taking a serious battering.

Will get some pictures up this evening.

[Jon]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jonsgr8/Flooding029-1.jpg

Note in the distance the curtain of water falling from the first floor of the white water hotel...

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jonsgr8/Flooding017-1.jpg

[Jon]

The get out at Haverthwaite:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jonsgr8/Flooding008.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jonsgr8/Flooding009.jpg

[Swimmer!]

Backbarrow Bridge, from the other side:

http://www.cumbriacanoeists.org.uk/duddon/IMGP2529_resize.JPG

Brick Chute:

http://www.cumbriacanoeists.org.uk/duddon/IMGP2518_resize.JPG

Dave.

[Tom W]

Wanted to do a wezzit this morning, but internet has been down all day!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2594/4120756984_0939e07f0d_m.jpg
Backbarrow Bridge and White Water Hotel from below.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4120756592_3ec9d1ec21_m.jpg
The lead in above Backbarrow Bridge. Water absolutely huge.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4120756174_8a53586dfa_m.jpg
The footbridge at Backbarrow Post Office (where the old fishcounter used to be) - the Post Office wave below was a river wide hole.

Crazy times

[Frith]

well I guess the trees will be gone then :) Wonder how things will have changed?

[Ollie]

And I am in devon, stuck with the upper dart in high levels :)
Tbh, I wish I was there to run backbarrow, it looks tasty...

[Frith]

Looks like a spanky hole to me but whatever floats your boat. Not really my cup of tea. Not sure about the weir after either.

[Ollie]

But imagine the bragging rights?
At a normal level...:
"Are you sure we're gonna run this? it looks quite tasty"
"Christ you wuss, I've ran this over the bridge... Yes, Over."

[ned]

leven is heavily cordoned off with police lines. the upper section looks clear, but backbarrow bridge has major structural damage. Hopefullty we can check the rapid when levels recede but its going to have long term implication as it will need rebuilding.

The footbridge/pipebridge further down at least has sections missing. Paddling is impractical at present on the top and foolhardy on the bottom section!

[Rick]

Imagine the bridge goes though, wonder how it may effect the drop!?!?!

[Ollie]

I was thinking that, I hope it turns into a proper Gnarrr....

[Swimmer!]

Levels have dropped a bit, exposing the damage. The parapet on both sides of the bridge has gone (that'll stop the kids jumping of it in the summer!). The path down from the little wooden gate has been scoured out.

http://www.cumbriacanoeists.org.uk/duddon/IMGP2537_resize.JPG

And the pipe bridge has gone !!! ... but where ???

http://www.cumbriacanoeists.org.uk/duddon/IMGP2541_resize.JPG

Dave.

[Ollie]

I don't remember there being a drop at the pipe bridge?
Do they still think that backbarrow bridge is going to collapse?

[lancs_lad]

Is that not the pipe bridge creating that drop like feature? If it is, until moved that will be a portage at normal flows.

[Swimmer!]

Lots of piccys going around work today. This is what the Pipe Bridge used to look like. The pipe bit is still there, you can see the spikey fence bit. But the bridge bit has gone!

You can just see a bit of the structure poking out of the water. I guess the bridge has sunk, which is causing the blockage to the water. Looks like we won't be paddling under it for a while.

http://www.cumbriacanoeists.org.uk/duddon/Pipe Bridge.JPG

Dave.

[Ollie]

Christ...
I want to see pictures of river right line on fisherman's island in flood... It would be a bit of an epic i'de assume.
Anybody know if the tree portage on river left of fisherman's island is gone? Also the tree on backbarrow weir?

Ollie.