Q: The release board shows a steady total. Why are the lower cistern marks falling?
A: The board tells us what passed the gate. It does not tell us how much reached each cistern after the channel narrowed. The final bend can hold grit, and the last level mark is taken farther down the route.
Q: Does that mean the sluice is losing water?
A: It means we have not measured the whole route at the same time. A total at the gate and a level at a cistern are two different observations. Until the mason checks the bend, I cannot say which condition explains the difference.
Q: What will the next inspection add?
A: A mark at the gate, one before the bend and one at the lower cistern, all taken during the same release. If the numbers change between those places, we will know where to look. If they do not, the queue may be the issue rather than the channel.
Q: Can the old schedule stay in place?
A: The keepers can follow the turns on the board. Whether that feels fair at the last landing is a question for the people waiting there. Our record should give them something better than a promise that the gate opened.
