Ellesmere Canal from Hurleston to Llangollen was retained as a water feeder for the Shropshire Union Canal main line and for drinking water. In 1955 an agreement with the Mid & South East Cheshire Water Board secured the canal's future. Despite the formal closure, increasing popularity of the canal with pleasure boats led to its acceptance as an important amenity, and the rebranding as the Llangollen Canal. As the canal was never intended to go to Llangollen, this renaming is an ironic twist symbolic of the canal's convoluted development. The Ellesmere Canal south of Frankton Junction (the Llanymynech Branch) nowadays forms part
Prees Branch Canal Nature Reserve Canal (now the Llangollen Canal) to Prees, but was only constructed as far as Quina Brook. It is only navigable as far as a marina, beyond which the reserve is effectively a long pond and its banks. Prees Branch Canal Nature Reserve Prees Branch Canal Nature Reserve is a Shropshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve in the civil parish of Whixall, Shropshire, England. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the presence of rare pondweeds (Potamogeton), and also is the home of watervoles. Dragonflies and other invertebrates occur in the water, on the banks and in the air