Solebury Township – Friends of the Delaware Canal

Delaware Canal Towpath Closure Between Waterview Condominimums and Bowman’s Hill

Update August 6, 2021: All storm cleanup efforts in this section have been completed.

Update July 30, 2021: 9 trees have been cleared from the towpath as of 2:00pm.

The Park maintenance crew has been hard at work and has cleared 9 trees from the towpath in the sections between New Hope and Bowman’s Hill. The towpath has reopened, however additional cleanup is still needed into the week of 8/2. Please note the possibility that additional blockages may be present in areas not yet discovered.

July 30, 2021

Delaware Canal Towpath Closure – Several trees have been downed due to storm damage in the area of Hew Hope Borough and Solebury Township, Mile Post 23.6 to Mile Post 23, the section between Waterview Condominiums and Bowman’s Hill. Cleanup of the debris is expected to last into the week of 8/2. Trail users are cautioned to avoid this section of trail until notice is removed.

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.

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.

Canal Drawdown Begins on Monday, Sept. 26

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

Delaware Canal Towpath Closure Between Waterview Condominimums and Bowman’s Hill

Delaware Canal Towpath Closure Between Waterview Condominimums and Bowman’s Hill

Update August 6, 2021: All storm cleanup efforts in this section have been completed.

Update July 30, 2021: 9 trees have been cleared from the towpath as of 2:00pm.

July 30, 2021

Phillips’ Mill Bridge Replacement is Progressing

Phillips’ Mill Bridge Replacement is Progressing

June 11, 2018

Towpath Closure at Phillips’ Mill

Towpath Closure at Phillips’ Mill

April 12, 2018

Canal Drawdown Begins on Monday, Sept. 26

Canal Drawdown Begins on Monday, Sept. 26

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