A section of the Basingstoke Canal has been closed due to low water levels, which have been attributed to drought conditions and prolonged dry weather. Hampshire County Council, which jointly owns the canal with Surrey County Council, has shut the Brookwood and Deepcut lock flights, specifically locks 12 to 28, until further notice.
This closure impacts 17 locks, including the Deepcut flight, where boats typically ascend approximately 100ft (30.5m) over two miles (3.2km) to reach the canal's summit. These affected locks, which are usually open three days a week to conserve water, will now remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Surrey is among the counties officially in drought, with the Wisley weather station having recorded more than 50 days without any rainfall. Hosepipe bans are also currently in place across the county. An amber heat health alert is active for Surrey and south-east England until Friday evening, anticipating high and potentially extreme temperatures, possibly reaching 37C (98.6F) by Thursday.