▁industrial ▁and ▁agricult ural ▁run off , ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁fe eder ▁for ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁Str oud ▁Canal . ▁ ▁Today , ▁the ▁canal ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁boats ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁length , ▁ ▁in ▁beam ▁and ▁ ▁in ▁height . ▁The ▁maximum ▁draft ▁is ▁. ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s ▁commercial ▁traffic ▁had ▁largely ▁come ▁to ▁a ▁halt ▁with ▁the ▁canal ▁being ▁given ▁over ▁to ▁pleasure ▁cru is ers ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁a ▁few ▁pass ages ▁by ▁gra in ▁b arg es . ▁The ▁oil ▁trade ▁ceased ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁with ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁pet role um ▁dep ot ▁at ▁Qu edge ley . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁A 4 3 0 ▁Gl ouc ester ▁south western ▁by pass ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁the ▁canal ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁di vert ed . ▁The ▁new ▁section ▁of ▁channel ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁a ▁project ▁began ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁P atch ▁Bridge ▁swing ▁bridge ▁with ▁a ▁motor ▁power ed ▁design ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁hand - c rank ed ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁canal ▁links ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁Str oud water ▁Navigation ▁at ▁Sa ul ▁J unction . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Can als ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁canal ▁system ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Gl ouc ester ▁D ock s ▁and ▁the ▁Sh arp ness ▁Canal ▁Past