Why canals struggled to supply advancing armies

Were British canal crews used on waterways captured during the Allied advance in Europe?

Generally local crews operated their own waterways, while canals were too slow and geographically fixed to keep pace with rapidly advancing field forces.

A factory or airfield can receive repeated deliveries at the same wharf, making water transport efficient despite its speed. An army advancing across Europe changes its supply point continuously and may move beyond a canal route. The answer illustrates why transport modes must be matched to operational tempo and destination stability.