The Fens Waterways Link is a project to improve recreational boating opportunities in the counties of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, England.

[1] By a combination of improvements to existing waterways and the construction of new links a circular route between Lincoln, Peterborough, Ely and Boston is planned.

Schemes with a total value exceeding £20 million were implemented,[2] the first of which was the reconnection of the South Forty-Foot Drain to The Haven by the construction of a new lock beside the Black Sluice pumping station.

The Fens Waterways Link has been rebranded as the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor to reflect this change of emphasis, but navigation will still be part of the aim.

Lincolnshire's plan is not clear on how this could work, as it is outside of their administrative area, but their map shows either the re-establishment of the link through the closed Welches Dam lock, or a new channel to join the Great Ouse at Earith.

[7] Starting from the north, the first development was the provision of a new tidal lock from the Haven in Boston to the South Forty-Foot Drain at the Black Sluice, opened to traffic on 20 March 2009 by Michaela Strachan.

The Environment Agency then began to look at whether the project could be delivered in conjunction with a flood risk management scheme for the South Forty-Foot Drain.

[14] After about 1.9 miles (3 km) the Folly River joins the Car Dyke, which follows the north-eastern edge of Peterborough to the village of Eye.

From there a new section of canal would carry the route around the hamlet of Nene Terrace and link into Cat's Water Drain, which also passes close to Eye.

[17] The final part of the link would either be a new canal or would follow the remainder of Cat's Water Drain and a drainage ditch to reach Padholme pumping station.

[19] Access to the Middle Level Navigations is along King's Dyke, which leaves the Nene a short distance downstream of where the northern route would end.

This transition is not easy, due to tidal levels, frequent silation below the sluice making access difficult, and the poor state of Salters Lode Lock.

In order to mitigate this, one proposal was to create a short new section of canal from Well Creek and ascend through a couple of locks, to cross over the New Bedford River on an aqueduct.

[22] The Great Ouse from Denver Sluice up to Ely is not thought to need any attention, as it is wide and deep and there are no navigation structures on that length.

[23] The next section from the Fish and Duck Inn near Stretham to Hermitage Lock at Earith needs more attention, as it has suffered from a lack of funding, due to its catchment being very small.

A new section of canal would run from the pumping station to a drainage ditch called Cranbrook Drain, which would be enlarged and join the Old Bedford River below Earith Sluice.

Upgrading of the final section of the Old Bedford River would be required, and again, a lock structure to bypass Earith Sluice would be needed.

The funding for this is slowly appearing and as well as providing for the first time an inland route for broader boats—up to 3.2 metres (10 ft 6 in) wide—between the north and south of England, it would also serve as a flood relief channel for new developments in the areas through which it is to pass.

[29] Adaptation of existing locks and bridges would be necessary to increase the dimensions to Grand Union Canal gauge, both in width and air draft.