How locks work
Locks are used to enable canal boats to climb and descend inclines such as the Pennines in England.
A boat travelling down the incline enters the lock through the open upper gate. The upper gates are closed and water is run out of the lock through closeable channels called sluices, until the water level in the lock is the same as the water in the lower level. The lower gates are then opened and the boat continues on its journey. The lower gates are then closed and water run from the upper level into the lock through sluices until the water in the lock is the same as that in the upper level. The upper gates are then opened again.
So that the locks can continue to operate, reservoirs (eg Hollingworth Lake) are required to hold enough water to replace the water in the upper levels which moves down the incline in each lock operation.
In times of drought operation of
locks by this method
becomes difficult. The alternative is to
use pumps to
transfer water from the lower to the upper levels.
The Bingley '5 Rise' on the Leeds - Liverpool Canal
