Water Levels Force Oxford Canal Shuffle. Banbury Canal Lock 29 and the Lift Bridge was a bottleneck of activity this morning as boaters pressed to move along the drought-stricken Oxford Canal. With many locks closed since July to conserve what little water remains, these brief, scheduled openings are a lifeline. They allow boaters a vital window to 'shuffle' their boats to the necessary moorings before water resources are permanently committed to supporting the canal through the first part of wi