For Immediate Release:
07/07/17
Contact:
Steven Gosset
| Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Realations | (914) 390-8192
New York State Canal System to Fully Reopen by Sunday Morning
Debris Being Cleared From Final 18-mile Section
The last remaining closed section of the New York State Canal System is projected to re-open at 7 a.m. Sunday, July 9, bringing the entire canal back into operation following last week’s high water, excessive current and heavy debris caused by heavy rains.
Restoration work is continuing in the 18-mile section of the Erie Canal from Canajoharie to Little Falls, including Locks E-14 (Palatine Bridge), E-15 (Fort Plain), E-16 (St. Johnsville) and E-17 (Little Falls). After remaining debris is cleared, water control gates will be set back into place so navigation can be restored. Until the work is completed, water levels may be significantly lower than normal in these areas. Water levels are expected to return to normal by early Sunday morning.
Other affected sections -- including from Waterford (Lock 2) to Whitesboro (Lock 20), the Oswego Canal, and the Champlain Canal --- re-opened earlier this week
Boaters in and around the closed areas should stay safely moored until the re-opening is complete. It’s recommended that boaters check the re-opening schedules posted in Notices to Mariners at www.canals.ny.gov., on Facebook, and on Twitter before traveling on the canal system
The Canal Corporation urges everyone to boat safely and strongly recommends mariners always check conditions prior to navigating on sections of the Canal System that are open, utilize navigation guides and other appropriate resources, and visit www.canals.ny.gov. for updates and information.
About the New York State Canal Corporation
New York’s canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. In 2017, New York will celebrate the bicentennial for the start of the Erie Canal’s construction.
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