Lake Drain October 2026

From Sunday 18 October to Monday 26 October 2026, Clevedon Marine Lake will be drained as MARLENS carries out essential maintenance, cleaning, dredging and repairs. Meet the local businesses who are supporting the drain – a huge thank you!

The Lake Drain Down is an important part of looking after the lake. As the water level falls, MARLENS volunteers and contractors can access areas of the lake that are normally underwater, allowing us to remove debris and silt, carry out essential repairs and maintenance, and make improvements that help protect the lake and its wildlife.

Once the work is complete, the returning tide will gradually refill the lake — creating one of the most spectacular sights in Clevedon.

What will be happening?

During the Drain Down, work will include:

Deep cleaning and removal of debris and litter
De-silting and dredging
Essential repairs and maintenance
Work around the lake and surrounding areas
Improvements to marine habitat where appropriate

The lake’s regular Drain Downs are an essential part of its ongoing maintenance. MARLENS carries out this work with the help of volunteers, contractors and supporters.

When is it happening?

Sunday 18 October – Monday 26 October 2026 (with main lake refill Sunday 25th – see below)

The lake will be drained during this period and normal lake activities will be affected while the work takes place. The exact timing of the draining and refilling is governed by the tides and the requirements of the maintenance programme.

It’s an early start for our team as we are opening the penstocks to let the water out at 3am on 18th October and it takes about 7 hours to drain. So the main public volunteering session starts at 9:00am (see below on how to get involved if you’re interested).

The timing for when the lake will refill is not so precise (please don’t hold us to it!). It is subject to air pressure, wind and weather. If you aim to get to the lake at 17:45 on Sunday 25th October you should be in good time to watch it start splashing over back into the lake, building to its peak and a torrent by 18:17. We’re hoping for it to be quite a spectacle!

The tide may completely fill the lake, but there again, it may not. If it hasn’t, the early morning tide on Monday 26th October will finish the job!

Please check social media channels for updates and opportunities to see the work taking place. We will be there and look forward to meeting people.

How can you get involved?

The Lake Drain is a real community effort and there are several ways you can support it.

Become a Lake Drain Sponsor

A huge thank you to our Lake Drain Sponsors for October 2026. If you’re interested in becoming a Lake Drain Sponsor See here for more information.

Volunteer

MARLENS volunteers play an important part in caring for the lake, including litter and debris clearance and other practical work. If you’d like to get involved, please contact MARLENS either via a Facebook direct message or complete a volunteer form here.

Support the work

You can support MARLENS through a donation, become a Friend of MARLENS or get involved with our fundraising activities (you’ll be able to make cash donations at key points during the drain :) ). The lake is free to use and relies heavily on donations and volunteers to keep it safe, clean and accessible.