Pleasure boating will no longer be possible on part of waterways from Monday

In concrete terms, pleasure boats will no longer be able to sail on the Ypres-IJzer canal.

The decision was made on Thursday after the consultation of the drought committee. It will come into effect on Monday, so that pleasure boats are kept at the locks until Sunday, according to the restrictions already in force, in order to reach the home marina if necessary.

The water-saving measure was prompted by the persistent drought and heat in the summer and the dry spring. As a result, the water discharge from the Flemish waterways is very low. The precipitation of the past few days and the expected rainfall will not contribute to a sufficient recovery of water resources, according to the waterway manager.

Because there is no commercial shipping, pleasure boats will no longer be locked at or on the Gravensluis (Plassendale-Nieuwpoort canal), the Bossuit-Kortrijk canal (lock 9-10-11), the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk Canal and the Ypres-Yzer Canal.