Castlegate Marine Club on the banks of the River Tees c1993.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Castlegate Marine Club on the banks of the River Tees c1993.
I remember at high spring tides, the quay side was submerged. When the tide turned, huge amounts of mud were left on the surface of the quay, indicating a very high amount of solids in suspension within the river water. I don’t think there was a great deal of dredging done above the Newport bridge, possibly because most seaborne traffic was downstream, where deeper water was required. A gradient had been maintained over many years, to ensure a good flow of water near to Middlesbrough dock, preventing a build up of mud. I think Stockton council had wanted to dredge the river near to the Corporation Quay, but the Tees Conservatory commission, in charge of the river upkeep, refused, because of the effect it might have on the river further downstream.
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Obviously before the Barrier was completed and the tidal part of the river closed out, that was 1995 when the river became a fresh water lake.
I had memories of those often in hot weather stinking mud banks when the tide was out people do not know what a boon it was once they were covered for ever. It was a dead river all my young years because of the effluent poured into it from the many factories in the area, at exceptionally low tides the mud banks covered with detritus reeked and for us working near it could be quite nauseating. The river is now an asset and we should make much more use of it than we do, the sooner it can be a more open view from the High Street the better.
Only my opinion others may wish differently.
Frank.
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