The Delaware Canal State Park staff moved quickly to fix a collapsed 3ft. X 3ft. sandbag in the Kleinhans Creek Aqueduct coffer dam installation. Water is again flowing south from Groundhog Lock! Thank you!!
Water levels in the northern half of the Canal will be down until the coffer dam at the Kleinhans Aqueduct can be repaired. The Park staff is currently evaluating the situation.
The gates that allow Lehigh River water to flow into the Delaware Canal were reopened last Friday. The Canal has been refilling and flow has reached its current destination, the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area, 29 miles south of Easton. Thanks to DCNR for allowing pipes to be installed at the failing Kleinhans Aqueduct and thanks to Bi-State Construction for making quick work of it.
Bi-State Construction is in the process of completing the installation of the pipe and coffer dam system that will allow Canal water to flow south through the leaking Kleinhans Aqueduct. If all goes well, the gates at the Lehigh River will be opened this afternoon or tomorrow morning, and water will return.
In order to restore the Lehigh River water flow to the south, Bi-State Construction will install coffer dams at either end of the leaking Kleinhans Aqueduct and run three pipes through aqueduct span. Mobilization has already begun. Thanks to DCNR for approving this work that will allow the Canal to be watered while the aqueduct is repaired.
The stop gate and waste gate at the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area have been closed by the Park staff. The Lehigh River water has reached this point, 29 miles south of Easton, and will be stopped here because of the Redfield Bridge construction project a short distance to the south.
The River water level will build to the north while Bi-State Construction replaces the collapsed abutment of the Redfield Bridge. The original plan was to retain both of the bridge abutments, but when the deteriorated deck was removed, the east abutment developed serious structural cracks. Work must be done within the Canal prism, so water cannot be run through at this time.
Last week the Lehigh River water reached Point Pleasant. Last Sunday it had made its way to Lumberville, and today is just north of the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area.
Friends of the Delaware Canal
145 South Main Street
New Hope, PA 18938
Phone: 215.862.2021
Michael Ginder, 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