Water level in the Canal will be lowered in several areas of Delaware Canal State Park beginning on Monday, September 26. The drawdown will allow for preventive maintenance, inspections and several small repair projects. Large stretches of the Canal will have low water levels until work is completed. It is anticipated that rewatering will begin on November 1.

Areas affected will include:

• Raubsville: Smith’s Bridge (Woody’s Bridge)
• Raubsville: Lock 22/23 (Groundhog Lock)
• Solebury Township: Lower Limeport Bridge
• Solebury Township: Bowman’s Hill
• Yardley Borough: Lock 5
• Bristol Township: Airport Road

The full text of the announcement from Joshua S. Swartley, Park Manager, is below:

Delaware Canal State Park is planning for a maintenance drawdown of the canal beginning on September 26, 2016. The canal will be drawn down in multiple sections of the park to perform preventative maintenance, inspections, and to complete several small repair projects.

Work associated with this drawdown will take place at Smith’s Bridge (Woody’s Bridge) in the Raubsville area, Lock 22/23 (Groundhog Lock) in the Raubsville area, Lower Limeport Bridge in the Solebury Township area, the Bowman’s Hill area, the Lock 5 area in Yardley Borough, and in the Airport Road area of Bristol Township.

Due to this drawdown and the low river levels in New Hope, large stretches of the canal will have low water levels until work is completed. It is anticipated that the canal will be re-watered in the beginning of November. Sections of the canal from New Hope south are dependent on higher river levels for re-watering and may take longer to refill. Currently, water levels in the southern portion of the canal are extremely low and in some areas non-existent due to the lack of water at the New Hope inlet.

Drawdown of the canal must take place between July 15th and October 1st, due to the regulations established by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to protect the imperiled eastern redbelly turtle. During the drawdown period, park staff will be on site to remove and relocate any turtles, fish, and other species of concern to a safe location should they become stranded in a section of the canal with low water.

If you have any questions or would like additional information about the planned drawdown of the canal please contact the park office for assistance.

Sincerely.

Joshua S. Swartley
Park Manager