Long-term moorings in Worcester

Moorings in Worcester are on two very different waters: the broad River Severn and the narrow Worcester & Birmingham Canal, which meet at Diglis Basin. The Canal & River Trust runs both. Long-term berths are in the basin at Diglis and at a canal wharf at Lowesmoor.

Moorings in Worcester

• Diglis Waterside & Marina: run by Aquavista in Diglis Basin, with an inner and an outer basin. It has leisure and residential berths, and a residential berth comes with a postal address at the marina.
• Worcester Marina: at Lowesmoor Wharf, on the canal between bridges 9 and 10, run by ABC Leisure Group. It has moorings, a dry dock, diesel and pump-out.
• Canal & River Trust sites: the Trust's own mooring search shows no long-term site of its own inside the city.
• Tibberton Towpath: the nearest Trust site, about five miles from Worcester by road. It is 220m of towpath for up to 10 boats, leisure only, with no facilities on site.

On the water

A boat on the canal or the river needs a Canal & River Trust licence, and the Trust asks for a Boat Safety Scheme certificate before it issues one.

• Worcester & Birmingham Canal: 30 miles and 58 locks to Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. It is a narrow canal: the Trust's limit is 21.95m (72ft) long and 2.13m (7ft) wide.
• Diglis Basin: two wide locks join the basin to the river. Boats up to 21.95m long and 5.61m (18ft 5in) wide can come in from the Severn, but a boat wider than 2.13m can go no further up the canal.
• River Severn: the navigation runs between Stourport and Gloucester. From Worcester up to Stourport the Trust's limit is 27.43m (90ft) long and 5.79m (19ft) wide.
• Diglis river locks: a pair of locks side by side on the Severn, a small one on the towpath side and a larger one beside it.
• Lock bookings: on days when the river locks at Diglis, Bevere, Holt and Lincomb are unmanned, passage is booked 24 hours ahead through Gloucester Lock.

Floods and closures

The Severn at Worcester rises a long way in flood. The Environment Agency's gauge at Diglis has a normal range of 0.55m to 2.80m, and the highest level recorded there is 5.30m, on 21 July 2007. The agency publishes the current level online.

In high water the Canal & River Trust issues notices that grade stretches of the Severn as amber, proceed with caution, or red, do not proceed, and locks may be closed.