Originally Posted by
Waterways
Manxman needs a city centre location, but none are available because ....
If the Mersey Barrage is built (I hope it is), then the Mersey will be locked in and there will be no low tide. Ships can then berth on the river walls, locks permanently opened, so no large maintenance expenses, etc.
River islands a can then be built with buildings on them too, as there will be no affect on currents which keep channels clear and deep.
Where would the barrage be?
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A huge barrage, built far out into Liverpool Bay will, IMO, be uneconomic, unrealistic.
The leading proposal - Dingle to New Ferry will not affect Liverpool in the way you describe, it mostly affects the Upper Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal. This is probably the worst possible option from an ecology standpoint as the Upper Mersey would be ruined by an insufficiency of salinity and major habitats, especially for birds, would be laid waste. Personally I hope that proposal fails. Benefits are minimal.
A third alternative - Bootle to New Brighton would calm the Mersey Narrows but they would still be tidal, just not as much as today. It would be open to the sea at high water (to let supertankers and liners through unimpeded on the tide) but would operate as a hydroelectric dam at other times. New berths would likely be built on the walls of the barrage itself rather than on new islands. Whether they would be tourism (ferry), commercial, pleasure or museum oriented is hard to say.
My guess is that a Bootle to New Brighton proposal, though it is more expensive than the New Ferry one will enjoy public support. Someone should get a petition going before it is too late.
It is truly a disgrace that the historic ships did not make their way into Egerton and Morpeth docks (which are so conveniently ignored in the Wirral Waters proposals).
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