The State Park maintenance staff turned on the pump at Centre Bridge late this morning. The rewatering of the Canal from Centre Bridge to Lock 11 in New Hope has begun.
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.
The pump that supplies water to the Canal from Centre Bridge to Lock 11 section in New Hope was damaged during the ice floes in the Delaware River this winter. The Park Maintenance staff has not been able to get down into the River to fully ascertain the problem because of ice, then high water levels. It anticipated that the damage isn’t too significant.
In the meantime, the contract has been awarded to Bi-State Construction for the reconstruction of the Phillips’ Mill Bridge. The first stage of this project is to place pipes through which water can flow in the Canal and then construct a temporary roadway to access the bridge site.
The Park’s plan is to have both the pump repair and the pipe installation/ temporary road access projects occur simultaneously in April. This will take advantage of the Canal’s current waterless condition and prevent the scenario of rewatering the Canal with the pump only to have it de-watered again shortly thereafter.
There was a major blowout in the berm bank directly north of the Tinicum Creek Aqueduct on Sunday, June 4. The Park officials and engineers are evaluating the situation now.
The Lehigh River water has arrived at the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area. The Park staff has closed the waste gate and the bypass there to allow the water level to build to the north. When the level rises, they will do a another debris clean-out then let the water flow freely south to New Hope. As you can see in the photo taken this morning, there is water in the Canal south of the Virginia Forrest stop gate. It is rain accumulation and Lehigh River water leakage through the gates. So far, so good. Knock on wood!
Friends of the Delaware Canal
145 South Main Street
New Hope, PA 18938
Phone: 215.862.2021
Susan Taylor, Executive Director
Helping on Canal Clean-up Day is just one way you can get involved and help to restore, preserve and improve the Delaware Canal. Big or small, the perfect job for you awaits – all you need to do is get involved! FIND OUT MORE