Breaking News & Updates

Update on the Fry’s Run aka Kleinhans Aqueduct Situation

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

From Josh Swartley, Delaware Canal State Park Manager —-

On Saturday, August 11, 2018 Williams Township (Northampton County) experience torrential downpours and flash flooding. As a result of this flooding Fry’s Run overflowed its banks, sending a wall of water into Kleinhans Aqueduct. The flash flooding damage the aqueduct and the temporary bypass that carries water along the canal. The aqueduct wall on the west side was completely blown off and washed down the canal. The temporary bypass, that conveys water through the canal, was washed away. Currently, water is being diverted out of the canal at Theodore Roosevelt Recreation Area (TRRA) until repairs can be made to the aqueduct. The area between TRRA and Durham will have no flow until repairs can be made. The Durham pump has been turned on, so the area south of Durham will have a minimal amount of water on a short term, temporary basis. Over the next several days, we will be working on installing another temporary bypass over the aqueduct and hope to have water flowing through the area by the end of next week.

Local Flooding Damages Fry’s Run Aqueduct

August 13, 2018

On Saturday, August 11th, it RAINED in the upper stretches of the Canal causing local flooding. Fry’s Run near Raubsville rose to a level higher than the canal aqueduct, and the tremendous force of the water against the temporary pipes, which were carrying the Canal’s water over the Run, were ripped out of place – as well as stone walls and some River bank.
The result is that most of the water coming south from Easton is pouring out the west side of what remains of the aqueduct structure. Water levels have dropped from Groundhog Lock south.
Hope to know more soon about the way forward. This turn of events is especially sad since

Looking toward the aqueduct from Route 611.

DCNR took great pains to install the pipes so that the Canal could be watered until the structurally deficient aqueduct was replaced. Fortunately, the plans for the new aqueduct are finished, so the replacement process is underway.

Towpath Closure at Scudder Falls Bridge Project

July 20, 2018

From the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission:

Delaware Canal Towpath in Pennsylvania near Scudder Falls Bridge

To Close Six Days a Week Starting July 30

Towpath Section to be Open Sundays Only until August 31

LOWER MAKEFIELD, PA – A short section of the Delaware Canal towpath on the Pennsylvania side of the Scudder Falls Bridge is scheduled to be closed six days a week beginning Monday, July 30, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.

The scheduled towpath closure is needed to ensure public safety while construction activities take place on the approach bridge that carries I-295/I-95 across the canal. This work initially will involve mobilization activities and then expansion of the approach bridge’s abutment as a precursor to widening the roadway before the river bridge.

The towpath is scheduled to be barricaded and inaccessible to the public from Woodside Road to the project limits downstream of the canal’s I-295/I-95 overpass Monday through Saturday of each week from July 30 until August 31.

Under the current schedule, the towpath is expected to be open through the project area on Sundays only in the month of August. If all goes as scheduled, the affected towpath segment should be open for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The aforementioned closure periods are subject to change due to weather and other considerations.

Pedestrians and bicyclists are urged to exercise caution when traveling along the canal near or through work areas as the bridge replacement project construction activities proceed over the next t years.

More information and videos on the bridge replacement project are available at www.scudderfallsbridge.com

Towpath Trail Closed at Conrail Embankment South of Morrisville

July 16, 2018

Construction has begun on opening up one of our remaining three major trail obstructions along the canal. Contractors have begun work at the site known as the Conrail embankment, located 1 mile south of Bridge Street in Morrisville. The towpath on both north and south sides of the embankment will be closed due to this construction for the foreseeable future, as contractors prepare to tunnel through the embankment.

Once completed, towpath users will once again be able to safely traverse through this segment of the canal towpath for the first time in decades.

Towpath Trail Closure North of Centre Bridge

June 27, 2018

TRAIL CLOSURE: The towpath will be closed approximately a 1/2 mile north of the Virginia Forrest Recreation area and a 1/2 south of the bridge at Delaware Quarries. Contractors will be repairing a collapsed wall along the river and towpath during this closure. The closure will take place on June 27, 28, and 29 and on July 2 and 3. The Towpath will be open on the weekend (June 30 and July 1) and will be open on the 4th of July. For additional information please contact the park office at 610-982-5560 or email: delawarecanalsp@pa.gov

Phillips’ Mill Bridge Replacement is Progressing

June 11, 2018

Bi-State Construction has installed the temporary roadway that gives access to the bridge construction project and the pipes that will allow canal water to flow past the site as soon as the Centre Bridge pump is put back in service ( we hope this week). The towpath trail is CLOSED between Lower Limeport Bridge to the north and the bridge at Canal Park to the south. The project could take as long as April 2019, and the trail will be closed throughout that time.

Please do not try to get through that area by removing barriers. They will be replaced and the project will take that much longer to complete.

Also please be aware that the temporary roadway is for use only by the contractor and the owners of the riverside properties that have no other access.

Your cooperation will be very much appreciated by all involved and affected.

Centre Bridge Pump Update

Friday, May 11, 2018

From Josh Swartley, Delaware Canal State Park Manager —

We tried to retrieve the pump on Tuesday and were unable to get to it. River level is still too high. We also need to replace the compression fitting on the discharge line where the flexible pipe meets the plastic pipe. The parts have been ordered for this and should be available next week.

Repairs South of Easton Complete

April 27, 2018

Both DCNR and PennDOT have completed the necessary culvert pipe and sinkhole repairs located in the Canal and on Route 611 near Canal Cup. The gate in Easton that allows water to flow into the Canal has been reopened, and the process of rewatering the Canal from Easton to Erwinna has begun.

Repairs Underway South of Easton

Good news. Both PennDOT and DCNR repair crews were on the scene today at the sinkhole problem south of Easton by Canal Side Cup. The sinkholes were caused by water flowing around rather than through the culvert that runs under both Route 611 and the Canal.

Towpath Closure at Phillips’ Mill

April 12, 2018

The towpath will be closed between the Lower Limeport Bridge and the pedestrian bridge at Canal Park in Solebury Township beginning on Monday, April 16th. The closure is necessary because of the replacement of the bridge that crosses the Canal at Phillips’ Mill. The closure will remain in effect until the project is completed.

It will not be possible to complete the Delaware Canal/Delaware & Raritan Canal Loop Trail that runs from Centre Bridge, PA to New Hope, PA to Lambertville, NJ to Stockton, NJ to Centre Bridge, PA.