For Immediate Release:
06/14/19
Contact:
Steven Gosset
| Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Relations | (914) 390-8192
CANAL CORPORATION ISSUES STATEMENT ON EMERGENCY REPAIRS AT PHOENIX DAM
ALBANY—The New York State Canal Corporation tonight released the following statement on a situation at the Phoenix Dam, part of the state Canal System, in Oswego County.
“Inspections have revealed emergency repairs are required on a tainter gate at the Phoenix Dam in Oswego County. The tainter gate is used at dams to control water flow. The Canal Corporation, which owns the dam, has dispatched contractors to begin repairs. Crews will first install a steel-sheeted coffer dam, a temporary structure that allows water to be pumped out so repairs can be performed safely. It is expected the coffer dam will be in place in two to three days.
Out of an abundance of caution, Locks O-1 and O-2 on the Oswego Canal will be closed immediately until further notice. The Canal Corporation is working closely with Oswego County Emergency Management, the village of Phoenix, the Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to address this situation.”
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 2019, New York will mark the 200th anniversary of the first trip taken on the Erie Canal, from Rome to Utica.
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