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Author Topic: The canal is empty - and STCC has answers!  (Read 41 times)

Michael Caswell

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The canal is empty - and STCC has answers!
« on: April 09, 2020, 06:32:30 am »
Unfortunately, most of them are wrong.

I have a good view of the canal, in fact its probably the best view around for miles. We're on Erie Crescent, looking south from The Oxbow lake towards Bushnells Basin.

I can share my view with you from my live web camera here - https://video.nest.com/live/SGmXCHZ0Q2
We're watching the canal all day, every day, and so are our dogs. They let us know if there are ducks, geese, deer and foxes (especially foxes) so we're very aware of the depth of the water.

In the 12 years we've lived here, the water level had usually been where it is today. The past couple of years it has been left higher, and only until the past 2-3 weeks has it been lowered to where it is now. This water depth is the normal.

Why is it lowered so much?  One reason is The Phreatic line is greatly reduced as the embankment dries out, reducing the risk of leaks (of which where are many) and collapse. Its also probably why they have reduced the operating season by one month.

Read about The Phreatic Line here

https://eriecanalfacts.wordpress.com/2017/12/20/association-of-state-dam-safety-officials/

Maybe when the canal embankment Integrity Program is completed along this stretch and its made safe, the canal may not need to be drained so much, which would suit us, as looking at a muddy ditch for 6 months is a somewhat depressing.




« Last Edit: April 09, 2020, 06:39:10 am by Michael Caswell »
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Doug K

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The Canal is always EMPTY in the winter for most of the Western Section
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2020, 10:29:03 am »
Words of Wisdom from the ECNA about canal water height in the winter... Stop complaining if you have water, unless it's about your safety.

Many people have no water and can walk on the BOTTOM of the Canal in Western NY at this time of the season. The canal leaks, always, and so without a water source it will eventually empty in many places.

Here's what Medina area Canal looks like at Culvert Rd... empty.



INSIDE




OUTSIDE




Here's the Canal in Holley, right near Holley Falls, the "seasonal" canal waterfall in that Village. It is also empty.




Hard to believe that some people STILL have a one-dimensional view about the NYS Barge Canal despite all evidence to the contrary. While Medina & Holley have an empty canal, there are sections of canal near Utica that are in the midst of canal seasonal flooding.  It's 500+ miles of canal waterway, some connected to lakes, some are co-joined with rivers. It's a big complex system. it has 27 miles of Safe Embankments and 100 miles of Unsafe Dams that still need clearing.

Just because something happens in Fairport doesn't mean it's gospel for the entire waterway, though some might disagree there.

Out in Brockport the day the water "dropped 5'" we saw nothing happen, well except that a group called the Stop the Canal Clear-Cut couldn't figure out what's right for water levels, and what's normal for the Erie Canal in their own backyard, and had to ask the ECNA to help them out.

Thank you Mike...
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