On the Baťa Canal, fortifications are being repaired, boats are not running on three sections

Vnorovy - The Morava River Basin Authority continues the reconstruction of the over eighty-year-old reinforcement of the banks of the Baťa Canal, and boats are currently not navigating in three sections. The repairs will cost approximately 41 million crowns. This was stated in a press release by the spokesperson of the state enterprise, Petr Chmelař.

Navigation in the section between Vnorovy and Strážnice, as well as in a shorter section between Vnorovy towards Veselí nad Moravou, ended on September 4, after which construction work began. The basin authority first had to separate this section from other parts of the waterway to maintain the navigation level there.

"After the implementation of transverse embankments and sealing of gates and other water management facilities, the gradual lowering of the water level began in accordance with the recommendations of the biological assessment," stated the director of the Central Moravia plant of the state enterprise, Pavel Cenek.

It was necessary to ensure the capture and transport of bivalves and fish. In the coming days, workers will begin removing sediment and bringing in materials for the actual repairs. The reconstruction of both sections should be completed by mid-April 2018.

As of September 12, the section Huštěnovice - Babice is also closed for navigation, and this section is also awaiting reinforcement repairs. Completion of the reconstruction is also planned for mid-April 2018. The enterprise already repaired some shorter sections in the spring of this year and the fall of last year.

"All users recognize that the repairs of the original reinforcement are indeed necessary. The result will be safer and more carefree navigation, which will be welcomed not only by visitors to the Baťa Canal," stated the director of the Morava River Basin Authority, Václav Gargulák.

Navigation in the non-repaired sections is ensured until October 1. These are parts of the canal section from the Veselí nad Moravou lock to the Vnorovy economic bridge, and then the river section from the Veselí nad Moravou - Uherské Hradiště lock, including the locks in Uherský Ostroh, Nedakonice, and Kunovský les. Boats are also in operation in the canal section from the Babice lock to the Spytihněv lock and further in the river section from the Spytihněv lock to the Bělov weir in Otrokovice.