Canal News – Fall 2016

Working Through It

What a summer!  It’s been hot, hot, hot, but that hasn’t stopped the action along the Delaware Canal.

The Good

Hurricane Hermine did not wreak any havoc.

After the discovery of numerous sinkholes in Smithtown and Point Pleasant, areas notorious for leaks, DCNR quickly engaged Bi-State Construction to fill them with clay and regrade the towpath bank.  With these sinkholes repaired, it is hoped that the Lehigh River water coming from the north will flow further south than it has since the Kleinhans Aqueduct problem.

No more walking on the shoulder next to whizzing cars thanks to PennDOT’s Route 13 improvement project. Park visitors now can use a sidewalk to get from the towpath to the Green Lane intersection in Bristol Township. Still to come is a pedestrian crossing south of WaWa on Green Lane with pavement markings and flashing signals. This project is being facilitated by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

After thorough investigations by DCNR staff, Sanders Power Company, and Campbell Electric, it has been determined that the 6,000 gallon per minute centrifugal pump that the friends purchased in 2003, before the floods, can be installed in the Delaware River at the northern “Bowman’s Hill” section of Washington Crossing Park. This pump can augment the flow in the watered-starved Canal when the River drops below the level of the New Hope inlet. Approval to operate the pump must be secured from the Delaware River Basin Commission.

By relieving DCNR of the purchase of the new pump at Centre Bridge, the Friends have enabled the Park to undertake the following wall projects: the repair of the concrete wall on the east side of Lock 5 in Yardley, the repair of the stone wing wall on the southwest end of Lock 5, the repair of the stone retaining wall north of Locks 22-23 by the Locktender’s House at the Theodore Roosevelt recreation Area in Raubsville, and the repair of the stone retaining wall along the towpath underneath Woody’s Bridge in Williams Township. Woody’s Bridge is one of the remaining six authentic camelbacks. By investing $27,000 in the Centre Bridge pump when the Park most needed it, the Friends have leveraged a $44,000 expenditure in wall repairs by DCNR.

The Not-So-Good

The hope of having water diverted from the Point Pleasant Pumping Station into the Canal has been dashed, at least temporarily, because of the continuing drought and the well contamination problems in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.  The Forest Park Water Authority must retain water for its customers.

The Bad

The water levels in the Canal from New Hope south to Bristol range from very low to bone dry. The heat waves and drought have dropped the level of the Delaware River below the level of the New Hope inlet located behind Odette’s. When the gauge measuring the river level at Trenton, NJ reads less than 9 feet, there is no water entering the Canal. Water levels can be checked online at water.weather.gov – National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. After all that Hermine forecasting hype, it would have been nice to have a moderate amount of rain.

In July, tornado-like winds ripped through the Bowman’s Hill area. Enormous trees fell – more than a few of them into the Canal. DCNR brought in crews from other parks to deal with the immediate damage, but there is still much cutting and removal to do. Falling trees have plagued the Canal ever since Hurricane Sandy.  It seems that a tree clearing contingent might need to be added to the Park maintenance staff or perhaps some assistance from the private sector.

As always, the Friends endeavor to meet the Canal’s challenges – in a multitude of ways.

 

On the Road to Perfection

The reconstruction of the Redfield Bridge by Bi-State Construction is nearly complete. It crosses the Canal just north of Centre Bridge. Towpath users are ecstatic to be able to travel their PA/NJ Loop Trail again, and the Friends are tremendously pleased to have the reconstruction reflect the years of incremental work that has gone into creating a bridge design that conveys the Canal’s historic character while accommodating 21st century needs.

Bridges have always been of special interest to the Friends. Our organization has restored three of the six remaining authentic camelback bridges. The fourth was restored through the Save America’s Treasures program. At our urging, the DCNR engineers prepared a detailed guidebook for the repair of all six.

Nearly twenty years ago, after seeing each new Canal bridge have a  different look, the Friends collaborated with the firm of Simone, Jaffe, Collins on the production of prototype bridge designs that could accommodate different traffic carrying capacities.  The basic prototypes influenced PennDOT’s design decisions for five canal-spanning bridges and counting. As each bridge was built, the basic design was evaluated and improvements incorporated into the plans for the next.

Over the past several years, DCNR has been replacing the Canal bridges that it owns and maintains. Generally, the bridges provide required access to private property, either connecting the property to public roadways or other parts of the property itself.  Once again design became an issue. The “commonly understood” faux camelback truss and guiderail designs to be used for the new bridges proved not to be so understood. The construction of the bulky Upper Limeport Bridge was a turning point.  After the Friends cried “foul,” DCNR agreed to reconsider its design process, especially since several more bridge replacement projects – Redfield, Lower Limeport, and Phillips’ Mill – were in the pipeline. DCNR hired the Wilson Consulting Group of Mechanicsburg, PA to undertake the development of a different, more historically and contextually correct bridge design. Bill Wilson, principal of the firm, undertook the task with tenacity and enthusiasm consulting with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Friends.

One of the key goals of the new design was to have Delaware Canal bridges reflect the delicacy of the original camelbacks while meeting current day requirements. New materials, technology and creativity have allowed that goal to be met. The Redfield Bridge is the first bridge to fully utilize the new design standards, and, although there are still some small wrinkles to be ironed out, Redfield Bridge is, by far, the best yet. The Bi-State Construction masons did a particularly fine job with the stone masonry.

DCNR continues with its bridge replacement projects with the Lower Limeport Bridge next up. Bi-state Construction has won the bid, and installation of the coffer dams and pipes to allow water to flow in the Canal is expected to get underway in late fall or early winter.  May this bridge be even better.

 

Park Manager’s Report

We have been working on several projects over the summer and have recently competed some emergency sinkhole repairs.  In the beginning of August, after a heavy rain storm, the Park maintenance crew discovered several large sinkholes between Bridges 2 and 3 to the Smithtown section of the Park.  Upon closer inspection it was determined that there were more than a dozen sinkholes, with additional holes in the Mountainside Inn section of the Park.  Over the course of three weeks Park maintenance staff and contractors were able to excavate the sinkholes, line them with bentomat, pack them with clay, cover them with topsoil, and reseed the berm of the canal.  Repairs were completed the last week of August and the canal has been re-watered.

The Redfield Bridge project is coming to an end.  The finishing touches are being made to the towpath, some minor adjustments being made to the trusses, and some clean up and restoration work being completed at the work site.  Final inspection of the project should be forthcoming.

There are also two upcoming projects where the bids have been awarded.  The Mile Post 21 wall repair project and the Lower Limeport Bridge replacement should be starting within the next few months.

Finally, there will be a maintenance draw down of the Canal during the last week of September.  Due to regulations regarding the endangered red-bellied turtle, all de-watering activities must occur prior to October 1st.  The draw down will enable the Park to work on several small wall repair projects, to conduct inspections of the canal prism, and to perform preventative maintenance.

Enjoy the Canal!

 

Good Neighbors Make Good Fences

The growing season is drawing to a close at the Locktender’s House garden in New Hope.  Goldfinches and squirrels are squabbling over the sunflowers, and there are enough tomatoes to share with passersby.

When the Friends restored the Locktender’s House in 1993-94, the grand plan included not only the creation of the “Life at the Lock” exhibit inside, but also the creation of a period vegetable and flower garden in front.  Since locktenders and their families typically had gardens for their own use and to grow produce that could be sold to canal boat crews, the establishment of a garden seemed a natural.  Friends’ volunteers transformed a grass patch into a fine plot surrounded by a white wooden picket fence typical of the period.  It has become part of the overall story of “Life at the Lock” and delights visitors who enjoy its beauty and engage the volunteer gardeners in conversation.

Over the years, the white picket fence took beatings from both nature and vandals.  Repairs were routinely made, but by last year, it was clear that it was time for a new fence.  To the rescue came the Dames of Rocksville Questers, who after hearing about the garden at a Friends’ presentation, selected the fence project as the recipient of their annual preservation grant.  In April, members of the group arrived at the Locktender’s House with a $900 check.  The funds were promptly spent on fencing materials, and member Josh Gradwohl started to construct the fence from scratch.  No premade sections for Josh.  New posts were installed, and volunteers spent a morning staining the pickets.  Josh and Jerry Taylor then proceeded to make a fence materialize, just in time for the grapevines to call it home.

The Friends are very grateful to the Dames of Rocksville Questers for making the fence replacement possible.  Half of the $900 grant was provided by the Dames chapter and was matched by the State Quester organization.  The Dames of Rocksville Questers originated in Holland, PA and now includes more than 15 members from the Lower Bucks County area.  Questers is a non-profit organization which encourages an appreciation for antiques and the preservation and restoration of historic sites.

Our talented and willing volunteers took the contributed materials and transformed them into a handsome, strong fence, and we are very appreciative.

 

No, It’s Not Algae

Blankets of green appeared on the Canal’s water surface this summer.  This green isn’t new, it starts to appear every year around May.  Its bright chartreuse hue and abundant growth make it hard to miss.

But what is it??  It’s not algae or slime or an invasive.  It’s duckweed – a plant that has many good qualities.

Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) is one of the smallest flowering plants in the world.  It consists of just two leaves and a root.  Duckweed likes to grow in warm, slow-moving, nutrient rich freshwater environments, which makes the Delaware Canal an ideal habitat for this tiny plant.

What is duckweed good for?

Food:  Duckweed contains twice the protein, fat, and nitrogen and phosphorus of other similar plants.  Its high nutritional content makes it an excellent source of food for waterfowl and fish.  (Carp are particularly fond of it.)  It is a primary food source for migrating waterfowl.

Shade:  A mat of duckweed shades the water below, inhibiting the growth of algae and other plants that can choke nutrient-rich waterways.

Cleansing:  Duckweed can help lower water pollution levels by absorbing nitrates, phosphates, and ammonia, which are chemicals found in fertilizers and waste water.  It is often used as a biological treatment for waste water from large-scale commercial farms.

Reuse:  After it is easily skimmed from the water, duckweed can be fed to animals and poultry and used as compost or fertilizer.

In the height of summer, duckweed can obscure the scenic value of the Canal, but is has its benefits and is far better for the environment than algae and invasive plants.  And if you want a great addition to your compost pile, feel free to skim some off and take it home.

Thanks to Ian Kindle, Delaware Canal State Park Educator, for providing this information and photo.

 

’tis the Season to Buy

Why not benefit, too?

If you are planning to use Amazon for holiday shopping this year, please remember that the Friends of the Delaware Canal is eligible to receive contributions from the AmazonSmile Foundation.  Designate the Friends when you make a purchase from Amazon, and the Friends will receive a contribution.

Here’s how it works.  Visit AmazonSmile on the internet, and choose Friends of the Delaware Canal as your charitable organization.  For eligible purchases, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the Friends.  It’s a quick and easy way to spread holliday cheer not only to the peo0ple on your gift list, but to the Friends, too.

 

As Close as We’ve Come to Going Viral

Nearly 450,000 people have seen this photo of a bald eagle and a great blue heron on the Friends of the Delaware Canal Facebook page.  When all the views are in, we may even reach a half million!

Carole Mebus, Friends’ member and photographer extraordinaire, shares her photos with the Friends, and we post them on Facebook.  In case, you weren’t among the many who saw the post, here’s the story of her amazing encounter.

On September 3, Carole embarked on a neighborly bird identification mission, but she never got to there because something caught her eye.  “Across the River at the northern end of Canal Road in Raubsville was a fascinating sight.  I took 96 pictures of a great blue heron and a bald eagle sharing a meal.  When I first came on the scene, the eagle was eating the fish and the heron was looking on.  They changed positions often from the log to the ground.  It seemed like a sizable fish, and eventually the heron had some of it.  Two crows even showed up briefly.  How do I see things like this?  I’m always looking around.  And I am really lucky sometimes. It made my day.”

If you would like to see seven of the 96 photos, visit the Friends’ Facebook page, and while you’re there don’t forget to “Like” it.  It’s hard to imagine that Carole won’t have more to share.

 

More Canal Tenders on Task

Three new Canal Tenders answered the call for help in the summer issue of Canal News.  Thank you!  Jim and Katie Wolf  have adopted the Bridge Street to Lock 9 section of the Canal in New Hope.  Harry Dozer will be providing weekend assistance to Peter Shaw in taking care of the Bridge 3 to Bridge 2 stretch in Smithtown.

Only 5.4 miles of the Canal are still orphans.  Wouldn’t you like to adopt one?  Find out how by going to www.fodc.org and clicking on HELP on the navigation bar.

 

Welcome, New Friends

Alan Bader
Janice Burgh
Neysa Garrett
Peggy and Mike Probst
Jeffrey Revak
Scannapieco Development Corporation
David Seidman
Greg Silk
Mitchell Zuckerman

 

 

 

 

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Canal News – Summer 2016

Canal News – Summer 2016

Trying Times

The days of May were glorious along the Delaware Canal. In Easton, the abundant water being fed from the Lehigh River filled the Canal all the way south to the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area, 1.3 miles north of Centre Bridge. (At this location, the water had to be released into the Delaware River so that the Redfield Bridge replacement construction site was not inundated.)

A new, more efficient pump, purchased by the Friends and New Hope for Our Canal, supplied River water into the Canal filling the Centre Bridge to Lock 11 section in New Hope nicely.

After extensive culvert cleanouts in the southern end, the Delaware River water flowing into the Canal through the New Hope inlet filled the Canal so high that its water was overflowing the coffer dam at the Lagoon in Bristol Borough.

The key word is “filled.”  The many sections that typically have had water were brimful.  New to the watering scene were Smithtown, Point Pleasant, Devil’s Half Acre, and Lumberville – communities that haven’t seen consistently high water since 2004.  The Canal levels from Morrisville to Bristol Borough were also uncommonly high.

Only 1-1/2 miles of dry-ish Canal prism prevented the achievement of our goal of a “fully watered Canal.” So tantalizingly close.

Then came the discovery of a leak in the Kleinhans Aqueduct, which spans Fry’s Run, seven miles south of Easton.  The DNCR engineers confirmed that a previously identified issue with several of the structure’s steel beams had become an immediate problem.

Much to DCNR’s credit, it quickly moved forward with the installation of two 60″ diameter pipes and associated coffer dams that allow Canal water to continue to flow through the aqueduct structure without exacerbating the structural problem.

The amount of water coming through the pipes is impressive, but the flow volume through the aqueduct has been reduced.  The use of the two pipes, rather than the full rectangular aqueduct structure, has limited the Canal flow to an amount that reached only as far as the north end of Point Pleasant. A donor paid the electricity bill for a week-long experiment to determine whether a boost from the 6,000 gallon per minute Durham pump would push water farther south. The boost seems to have produced a low level of water extending to the northern end of Lumberville, but a final determination of the effect is still in progress. The cost of operating the Durham pump is $180+ per day, so careful evaluation of cost and benefits is necessary.

The Kleinhans Aqueduct pipes are a temporary fix.  Replacement or substantial repair of the aqueduct, which fortunately is the shortest one on the Canal, is the permanent solution.  Replacement or repair is the only way to get a significant flow of “free” Lehigh River water flowing through Point Pleasant, Lumberville, Centre Bridge and New Hope again. DCNR has included the project in its 2016-2017 budget.

Another remedy may be the diversion of water form the Point Pleasant Pumping Station into the Canal at the southern end of the village. DCNR and DC21 have been working on an agreement with the Forest Park Water Authority to allow this diversion, which was first tried more than 15 years ago.

Now on to the Canal from New Hope to Bristol.  The prolonged lack of rain has caused the Delaware River to drop below the level of the canal inlet located behind the former Odette’s in New Hope. This inlet supplies Delaware River water into the Canal and is the only significant water source for the southern 25 miles of the Canal from New Hope to Bristol. When the River drops below the inlet level, the Canal drops.

In earlier issues of Canal News, you have read about the Friends’ investigation into the installation of an Archimedes Screw pump near the inlet location. This investigation continues, but, meanwhile , the feasibility of installing at 6,000 gallon per minute centrifugal pump at the inlet location is also being pursued as a quicker fix to the need for water augmentation.

Another consequence of the dry weather is that evaporation and tree and vegetation absorption are outrunning the Centre Bridge pump’s ability to keep its section reasonably full.

The best and easiest cure for the water woes from New Hope to Bristol is moderate rainfall.  Rain dances by all are most welcome.

Bi-State Construction is making good progress with the replacement of the Redfield Bridge just north of Centre Bridge. The project extended beyond its anticipated duration because the east abutment had to be replaced rather than repaired. The project’s completion will be happy news to the bikers and walkers who use this popular Centre Bridge/Lumberville/Bulls Island/Stockton/Centre Bridge canal loop trail.

Additional project updates are included in the Park Manager’s Report. For the latest information, check the Breaking News page.

The Delaware Canal does present its challenges, but we have come so far and the magnitude of the challenges continues to decrease.  We always keep on trying during trying times because the glorious days of May have proven that the canal is more than worth our efforts.

Park Manager’s Report

It is truly an honor for me to be named the new Park Manager at the Delaware Canal State Park Complex.  I am looking forward to working with the staff, the local communities, and multiple partners seeking to improve the park.  This is an excellent opportunity , and I am looking forward to the new challenge in my career.

I began my career with the Bureau of  State Parks in 1994 working as a semi-skilled laborer at Neshaminy State Park.  I have held positions as a semi-skilled laborer, intern, and DCNR Ranger at several state parks and as a Park Manager trainee at the Park Region 4 Office.  In 2005, I was named the Assistant Park Manager at the Hickory Run State Park Complex, and in 2007, I was named as the Park Manager of Neshaminy State Park.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Recreation from Lock Haven University and will be moving to the Pipersville area with my wife and three children.

We currently have two projects in progress – the culvert replacement on Airport Road in Bristol Township and the Redfield Bridge replacement in Solebury Township.  Also, in 2016,  a large wall repair will be taking place at Mile Post 21 in Upper Makefield Township.  We are anticipating that the replacement of the Phillips’ Mill Bridge and Lower Limeport Bridge, both in Solebury Township, will take place later this year or early in 2017.  Also in 2017, we are planning for several projects.  They include the tunnel through the railroad embankment just south of Morrisville and a large capital project to replace 12 bridges and culverts along the Canal.

In New Hope, the Bureau has been developing conceptual plans for the relocation of Odette’s and the development of an enhanced visitor services area located by the old mule barge concession.

Finally, work is progressing by PADOT to improve the towpath crossing at Green Lane and Route 13 in Bristol Township.  The pedestrian crossing should be completed by the end of the year.

Enjoy the Canal!

Better and Better

More than 350 people turned out this spring for the Friends’ annual Canal Clean-Up Day. Thirty-two coordinators organized coverage of all 58.9 miles of the towpath and waterway. Most of the trash picking and brush clearing took place on showery Saturday, April 2, but some Canal Tenders and other groups chose other days with Falls Township Boy Scout Troop 46 finishing off the effort on May 7.

THANK YOU ALL!

We were especially pleased to have several new coordinators step up to carry on their predecessors’ traditions of successful group clean-ups – Pam Can in New Hope Borough, Mayor Dave Rivella in Morrisville, and Ed Armstrong of GOAL (Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown.)

The very good news is that the Canal Clean-Up Day volunteers say that they find the Canal cleaner every year.  In a May 11th Letter to the Editor to the Bucks County Courier Times, Friends’ member Joe Linus of Washington Crossing wrote, “I annually volunteer to clear trash from the Delaware Canal towpath.  I am always amazed at how little trash we find.  This year, I and four others could not fill even half a trash bag.”

Another validation of  “the cleaner the Canal is, the cleaner it stays.”

The High Work

The Locktender’s House in New Hope is a “bank building” set into the canal bank at Lock 11.  It rises three stories high on its South Main Street side, and two stories up on its towpath side.  This spring three slates fell from the house roof on the towpath side, and the copper gutter on the Main Street side was miserably clogged.

To the rescue came Jeffrey DeFrehn, Sr. and Jeffrey DeFrehn, Jr. of DeFrehn Roofing of Langhorne.  They offered to fix the slate roof and clean the gutter at no charge because “we love historic buildings and want to help those who work to preserve them.” We are so thankful to the DeFrehns for this very necessary help.  Jeffrey DeFrehn has been in the roofing business for over 40 years, and he and his team handle roofing projects from historic buildings to new construction expertly and efficiently.

Ducks, Ducks, and More Ducks

This year’s Delaware Canal Festival has evolved into a series of summer-long events.

On June 17 the Delaware Canal Festival kicked off in Historic Bristol Borough. Lagoon Park and the green at Grundy Mill were filled with people who bought their dinner at a variety of food tracks and then stayed for the fun. The local Irish folk band, The River Drivers, set the rhythm for a parade of decorated boats and paddleboard exercisers who plied the calm waters of the Lagoon. Kids and adults decorated ducks for the big contest, played games, visited the tables of community groups, and sat relaxing on a perfect summer evening.

The Delaware Canal Festival will arrive in downtown New Hope on Saturday, July 30.  From noon to 4 p.m. come see plein air artists at work along the towpath, Civil War re-enactors at the Parry Mansion, and performers from the Bucks County Folk Song Society at Ferry Street Landing.  There will be duck decorating at the Locktender’s House, a scavenger hunt, a guided walking tour of the Canal and an Instagram contest.

And there will be more duck decorating at the Delaware Canal Festival in Morrisville on Saturday, September 10.  The State Park educators will be offering the opportunities to paddle kayaks in the Canal, and there will be plenty of good music, food, and fun, too.

Don’t miss out on the rest of the ducky Canal Festival season!

Welcome, New Friends

Paul and Roberta Butler
Vincent Colletti
Michael and Alberta Duncan
John Ehling
David and Mindy Emerson
Maria Fell
Sue Ann Rainey Gillen
Susan Grady
Jonathan Hendler
Jane Johnson
Frederick Klein
Lizzy Kuhlken
Lynn Mastrelli
Steve Saddlemire
Clara Salati
Gale Griffiths and Laurie Sauter
Joanie Schultz
Babs Simon
J. Brian Stalter
Thomas Stinnett
Paul and Donna King Trenchard
Lou White
Maureen Williams
Jeffrey Witte

Canal Walk 2016

October 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29

Break in your hiking shoes because the Friends are embarking on their 29th annual 58.0-mile-long Canal Walk this fall.  Conducted over five successive Saturdays, the Walk is starting at the Forks of the Delaware in Easton and ending at Waterfront Park in Historic Bristol Borough.

Join in one or all of this year’s walks.  The full Canal Walk 2016 itinerary will appear in the fall issue of Canal News and on-line at www.fodc.org.  We hope that this is your year to take part in the challenge, the camaraderie, and the fun.

Memories of Canal Walks Past

“I’m thankful that I walked the entire length of the Canal back in the ’90’s.  I have the stock certificate framed and hung on my bedroom wall to remind me of the thrill I had taking the walks, and I still recall them when we ride along River Road where the towpath is visible.  I feel so proud and happy that I took the walks.”

Pat Jud

Friends of the Delaware Canal member ever since her first Canal Walk

New Canal Tenders Step Up to the Task

Annette Heintz and “The Housewifes of Rolling Hills” have adopted the Uhlerstown to Lock 17 section in Tinicum Township.

Sheree Cote and Tom Lurz are taking care of the Mountainside Inn to Lock 12 section in Plumstead and Solebury Townships.

Monica Hemmers and Steve Heimann are back at work on the Lock 12 to Virginia Forest Recreation Area section in Solebury Township.

Ricki Fisher is covering the Rabbit Run Bridge to Bridge Street section in New Hope.

The work of our Canal Tenders truly makes a difference, and we’re grateful to have these new volunteers.  We also thank the people who have taken care of these areas in the past – Joe Cloran, Sally Getchell, Nan Kirstein, and Bill Rorer.

You can be a Canal Tender, too!

Here are the sections of the Canal that need adoption:

• Railroad Obstruction to Tyburn Road (Morrisville to Falls Township) – 1.1 miles
• Tyburn Road to Wheatsheaf Road (Falls Township) – .6 mile
• Levittown Shopping Center to Green Lane (Bristol Township) – 1.9 miles
• Green Lane to the Bristol Lagon (Bristol Borough) – 1 mile
• Beaver Street to Riverfront Park (Bristol Borough) – .8 mile.

Only 5.9 miles of the Canal’s 58.9 mile length remain orphans – just 10%.  Please help to bring our orphan rate down to 9%.

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Canal News – Spring 2016

In the Continuing Saga

Endings, beginnings, and continuations are all part of this spring’s Delaware Canal news. Fortunately, there is much to report regarding project completions thanks to our generally temperate winter.

High Falls Creek Culvert in Upper Black Eddy

The extensive culvert repair project is complete, and Lehigh River water has been running through the area for weeks.  The towpath trail is open.  The only thing that remains to be done is some masonry work on a stone wing wall.   This small job will be completed later in the spring and will not affect either water flow or towpath traffic.

Bank Repair in Raubsville

The Park staff put a stop to an emerging hole in the towpath bank north of Mueller’s Store in Raubsville.

Leak Repairs in New Hope and Uhlerstown

Moyer and Jones Construction excavated in the area of canal wall leaks north of Lock 11 in New Hope, poured a concrete barrier, and backfilled with clay.

The Park staff dug out a section of canal bank in Uhlerstown and lined it with bentomat.  Both repairs await the return of water to test their effectiveness.

Centre Bridge Pump

The new, more efficient pump arrived in late January and then was custom-fitted to do  its job supplying water to the Canal from Centre Bridge to Lock 11 in New Hope.  The Park Staff will install it in the Delaware River as soon as the river level drops from its rain/spring thaw high.  It’s anticipated that it will be in place and gushing away by the time that you read this article.

Airport Road Culvert in Bristol Township

The water company relocated its supply line, and Bi-State Construction has completed the corrugated metal culvert pipe replacement.  The final road paving and striping will be handled by Bristol Township.

Now on to the continuing issues:

Delaware Canal State Park Resource Center

DCNR has decided to construct a separate Park Office facility rather than combine  office and visitor center functions in one structure in New Hope.  The location of a new Park Office is under study.

In a noble attempt to offer an alternative to the demolition of the historic Chez Odette’s building, DCNR has hastily, in the Friends’ opinion, proposed moving the original 31X36 ft.  structure to the mural plaza area next to the Locktender’s House for adaptation as a visitors’ center.  The Friends  have taken the position that the ramifications, feasibility and real cost of such a move must be determined before any action is taken.  Can the historic Odette’s building provide the envisioned visitor amenities such as easy access between South Main Street and the towpath, as well as a much needed group congregation area?  And will the cause of preservation be served, if , by moving the building,  its historic context is lost and the structure is dramatically altered in the process of transforming it into a visitors’ center?  The search for a reasonable solution continues.

Gateway to New Hope Development

DCNR is in the process of finalizing a 35-year lease for  use of the land adjacent to Gateway’s 4-story hotel/event venue development.  The lease will allow Gateway to encroach upon Commonwealth property for the purpose of erecting a landscape feature.

Water Augmentation in New Hope and Point Pleasant

Planning is still in process for

1.  The installation of an Archimedes screw pump to augment the Canal’s water level from New Hope south to Bristol
2.  Provision of water into the Canal from the Point Pleasant pump system.

Construction of a Passageway through the Conrail Embankment in Morrisville

This project continues to make its way through the vast maze of approvals and paperwork involved with dealing with railroads.

And finally the new projects and administration news:

Bridge Replacements in Solebury Township

Bi-State Construction has begun work on the replacement of the Redfield Bridge.

The Upper Limeport and Phillips’ Mill Bridges are also slated for reconstruction this year, but right-of-way and other details are yet to be settled.  The truss design for each of the bridges will be similar to the authentic camelback bridges.

Park Manager

Rick Dalton has decided to accept a position as Manager of Tuscarora State Park.  See the articles  on page 2.  DCNR is expediting the process of selecting a new park manager for the Delaware Canal State Park Complex.  Bethany Hare, the Interim Assistant Park Manager, is currently in charge.

Park Manager’s Report

It is with mixed feelings that I write this report, my last as Manager of the Delaware Canal State Park Complex.  I have accepted the Manager’s position at the Tuscarora/Locust Lake State Park Complex in Schuykill County.

I have been the Manager here for over 12 years and spent 2 years as the Assistant Manager for a total of 14 years.   While I have enjoyed my tenure at the Canal, it certainly has been a challenging task.  A few times recently it has been described as “the hardest job in State Parks,” and I don’t disagree.  The fact that we experienced 6 of the top 10 floods along the Delaware River during my tenure did not make it any easier.

I want to express my gratitude to the Friends of the Delaware Canal.  Your support was invaluable to me while I was Manager.  I want to single out Susan Taylor and thank her for her dedication and tireless work in support of the canal.

I held my first job in State Parks at the Tuscarora Complex in 1980.  I did my practicum for college at the Park, and then they hired me as a Ranger for the summer.  Recently the Manager there retired, and, after some soul searching, I decided to go full circle and finish my career where it all started.  I look forward to running two “typical” parks that offer camping, boating,  swimming etc.  I can’t wait to smell the camp fires.

Good luck to all in your efforts with the Canal!

A Job Well Done

For 14 years, the Delaware Canal has been a big part of Rick Dalton’s life, and we think that he’ll admit that it’s been a wild ride.  As Park Manager the effectively dealt with

A Complex comprised of two State Parks, the Delaware Canal State Park and Ralph Stover State Park, and all the additional resources that  have been gathered under those Parks’ umbrellas-the 90-acre Giving Pond, eleven River islands, the Nockamixon Cliffs, high Rocks, two fish ladders on the Lehigh River, and miles of River shoreline.

A narrow 58.9-mile-long Canal that runs through two counties, 18 municipalities, and has more than 1000 neighbors.

Fourteen legislators representing the districts through which the Canal runs.

Federal, state, county, and local agencies that have some jurisdiction over the Canal and its operations.

An abundance of concerned partners and stakeholders.

Then to make the job ever so  much more interesting came the great floods of 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2011 as well as “high water events,”  most of which had devastating effects on the Canal.  Bringing the Canal back has been an enormous challenge from the FEMA-PEMA evaluation and funding processes to the stabilization of the towpath trail and waterway prism.  The many aspects of Rick’s job are too numerous to list, but he always tackled his work with intelligence, dedication, perseverance, ingenuity, and a sense of fair play.  To investigate and solve problems, Rick literally jumped right in.  his experience in the Navy (that’s where the idea of using oakum to stop leaks came from) and a slightly mischievous sense of humor served us all  well.

Rick, we’ll miss you.

Pooches and People

If you and your dog love walking along the towpath, please remember to:

Keep your dog on its leash.  Park regulations require it, no matter how friendly your canine may be.

Clean-up after your dog, and please carry your poop bags home with you.  The Delaware Canal State Park is a carry in/carry out resource.

Let’s make the Canal enjoyable for all.

Canal Sections in Need of Adoption

Did you ever notice that clean places stay cleaner?  People both notice and respect them. The volunteers in the Friends’ Canal Tenders program help the towpath and waterway get clean and stay that way.  They adopt sections of he Canal and then monitor and tidy them on a periodic basis year-round. To learn more about the Canal Tenders program, click on HELP on the homepage.

Want to be a Canal Tender?

Here are the sections of the Canal that are currently orphans.

• Uhlerstown to Lock 17 (Upper Black Eddy to Tinicum Township) – 3.8 miles
• Bridge Street to Lock 9 (New Hope) – .5 mile
• Railroad Obstruction to Tyburn Road ( Morrisville to Falls Township) – 1.1 miles
• Tyburn Road to Wheatsheaf Road (Falls Township) – 1.4 miles
• Wheatsheaf Road to Mill Creek Road (Falls Township) – .6 mile
• Levittown Shopping Center south end to Green Lane (Bristol Township) – 1.9 miles
• Green Lane to the Bristol Lagoon (Bristol Borough) – 1 mile
• Beaver Street to Riverfront Park (Bristol Borough) – .8 mile

Please let us know if you can help to close these gaps. (The sections can be divided into smaller segments.)  We’re always working toward the goal of taking care of all 58.9 miles of the Canal from Easton to Bristol.

Facebook Friend

The Friends of the Delaware Canal Facebook page has over 5000 friends from all over the country.  They view amazing photos of canal critters and the changing landscape every day.  You can, too, by liking our page.

Pop-Up Planting

An idea popped into Geri Delevich’s head.  “Wouldn’t it be great if New Hope Borough had more of those wonderful daffodils that Bucks Beautiful has planted all over the County.”    Geri, a former member of New Hope Borough Council, contacted the Friends and asked about the possibility of planting bulbs along the towpath.  After a scouting walk, the area from the Locktender’s House north to the mule pen seemed a perfect place.

Geri contacted Bucks Beautiful, a program run under the auspices of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, and Bucks Beautiful happily provided  150 daffodil bulbs.  A Constant Contact request went out, and fifteen well-equipped volunteers from the Friends and the New Hope Garden Club popped up at the Locktender’s House at 10 a.m. on November 17.  By noon, all the bulbs were in the ground.

Now, the new sprouts are popping up, and we’re looking forward to seeing the new blossoms as well as the other 300,000 daffodils that Bucks Beautiful has planted along the Canal in past years.

Welcome, New Friends

Jane Celentano

Don and Vicki Levinson

Dina Murray

Paul Servantes

Martha Sloboda

Gary Swangler

Eileen Wachtman and Joseph Hochreiter

Wild Birds Unlimited

A More Common Sight

In years past, Boy Scout troops were the groups most often seen on the Delaware Canal towpath.  Now many recreation organizations can be spotted out hiking, biking, and running.  Some of them have expressed their appreciation for the work that the Friends do by becoming members, and we are most appreciative.

Appalachian Mountain Club – Delaware Valley Chapter

 

Central Bucks Bicycle Club (the Club is also a Canal Tender)

Hunterdon Hiking Club

Liberty Bell Wanderers

Lions Cross Country Booster Club

The Philadelphia Trail Club

In the future, we look forward to seeing canoeing and kayaking groups on the Canal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Canal News – Winter 2016

The State of the Canal
At Least Some Aspects of It

High Falls Creek Culvert in Upper Black Eddy

As promised, on November 30 Bi-State Construction began installing a metal sleeve in the two ends of the old stone arch culvert. By Christmas, the full length of the sleeve was in place spanning the collapsed section.  The space between the old stone culvert and the new sleeve was progressively grouted, and the exposed sleeve as well. Kudos to the Bi-State crews, who have used the warm weather to their best advantage.  If the weather was at all cooperative, the workers were on the job – rainy days, Saturdays, and sometimes holidays.

The next steps were backfilling the area and restoring the Canal prism and towpath.  When all is complete, water from the north can be run through and southward.

 

 

Centre Bridge Pump

The pump that supplies water to the Canal from Centre Bridge to Lock 11 in New Hope gushed its last gallon in November.  The 25-year-old pump was declared irreparable, and a new pump, which will convey more water using less energy was ordered.  It is expected to arrive during the third week in January.  The Friends, New Hope for Our Canal, and an anonymous donor are contributing to the cost.

Airport Road Culvert in Bristol Township

The corrugated metal culvert pipe that carries the Canal under Airport Road collapsed several months ago. DCNR contracted with Bi-State Construction to replace the culvert in-kind. Bi-State began the project in December only to discover that a water supply line was located on top of the culvert rather than underneath it. The culvert replacement is on hold until the water line can be properly placed by the water company.

Proposed Archimedes Screw Pump in New Hope

The Friends and a representative from the company that manufactures screw pumps presented the proposed water augmentation project to the Delaware Canal State Park Advisory Committee in October.  The proposal was well received by the members.

At a November meeting with DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn, Deputy Secretary John Norbeck, and then Assistant Director of the Bureau of State Parks John Hallas in Harrisburg, the Friends asked that DCNR make a determination about the viability of the screw pump project. The Friends proposed that it be a public-private partnership, and DCNR’s approval is, of course, required before fundraising can be undertaken. The officials in Harrisburg promised to have the DCNR engineers thoroughly evaluate the project.  At this time, no determination has been made, probably due in part to the protracted Pennsylvania budget situation.

Proposed Delaware Canal State Park Resource Center in New Hope

A feasibility study is currently underway with ongoing communication among the DGS ( PA Department of General Services), DCNR, and the project architect. Again, the Pennsylvania budget situation hasn’t hastened the review of this project.

Gateway to New Hope Project

The Friends are expressing opposition to the current development plans for the site where Odette’s now stands.  The plans for a new 4-story hotel/restaurant/conference center indicate construction Delaware Canal State Park/National Historic Landmark property. New construction should not occur on State Park property, and there are other ways to accomplish the developers’ goals by way of minor adjustments in the plans to maintain setbacks along the Canal.

The development’s impact on the canal walls that surround the property; the size, mass, and placement of the new structure itself; and the demolition of the Odette’s building constructed in 1784 (Odette’s is one of the 12 structures named in the Delaware Canal National Historic Landmark designation) are all of serious concern.

If you would like to understand more about the issues, please go to the Breaking News page to read a letter from the National Park Service, which oversees National Historic Landmarks.

Washington Crossing State Park

In January, DCNR assumed responsibility for the administration of the Washington Crossing Historic Park from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.   It is now the Washington Crossing State Park.   The Friends look forward to working with DCNR and the Friends of Washington Crossing Park in continuing to develop and conduct activities that provide visitors with insights into the histories of both parks.

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Park Manager’s Report

I want to thank the Friends for their help with replacing the pump we had in the Delaware River at Centre Bridge.  This pump keeps the Canal watered from Centre Bridge to New Hope and had failed badly to the point that it didn’t make sense to repair it.  The Friends, New Hope for Our Canal, and an anonymous donor stepped up with funding to ensure that the pump is replaced in a timely manner.

We have a few projects that should start in 2016.  They include: the replacements of the Redfield Bridge, Phillips’ Mill Bridge and Lower Limeport Bridge all in Solebury Township, and the tunnel through the railroad embankment just downstream of Morrisville.  Work also continues by PennDOT to improve the canal crossing at Green Lane and Route 13 in Bristol Township.

I want to take a minute to thank George Calaba for his five years of service here at the Canal.  George has been the Assistant Manager, and he recently accepted the position as Manager at Washington Crossing State Park. The Crossing is getting a quality person who will capably handle the challenge of guiding the transition of management from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.  Fair seas and a following wind to him.

Rick Dalton

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Thank You So Much!

The New Year is off to a great start thanks to all of you who so generously responded to the Friends’ Year-End Appeal.  We asked you to help us accomplish more in 2016, and you did just that.  Your contributions replenish the Canal Improvement Fund.

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Wells Fargo Bank Boosts New Hope Watering Initiative

Wells Fargo Bank, through its New Hope branch, contributed $1000 to the Friends of the Delaware Canal and New Hope for Our Canal. The donation will be used to offset the cost of the new pump at Centre Bridge, which is used to keep the Centre Bridge to Lock 11 section watered.

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Welcome, New Friends!

Dennis Brown
Geri Chmiel
Karen Daddona
Chris and Tony D’Angelo
Jane Edmondson
Debra Wolf Goldstein
Hunterdon Hiking Club
Chris Kelly
Janet Lynda Kraemer
Lions Cross Country Booster Club
Anne O’Connell
Judy Peiffer
William Rauh
Lillian Ritts
Mary Roberts
Nancy Russell
Diane Saatdjian
Marion Schwartz
Drew Sonntag
Lyndon A. S. Wilson, Jr.

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Our Business and Institutional Members

Learn more about these Friends by clicking on their links here.

Founder

 Tinicum Civic Association

Benefactor

Hunterdon Hiking Club, Hunterdon County, NJ – NEW Member
Rockwood Wealth Management, New Hope
Walter’s Nursery, Inc., Point Pleasant

Patron

1740 House, Lumberville 
Acadia Mortgage, LLC, New Britain
The Boat House, Lambertville
Brett Webber Architects. P.C., Philadelphia and Erwinna
Ellenoff, Underwood & Norman, Doylestown
George E. Michael & Co., New Hope Golden Pheasant Inn, Erwinna
John Paton, Inc., Doylestown – Increased Membership
Newman & Company, Inc., Philadelphia
Newtown Bicycle and Fitness
Odell Painting, LLC, Ottsville
Penn Community Bank, Yardley
Tinsman Bros., Inc., Lumberville
William B. Parry & Son, Ltd., Langhorne

Member

Ahlum Gallery, Riegelsville
Appalachian Mountain Club, Delaware Valley Chapter
Borough of Morrisville
Bucks County Cottage on the Delaware, Yardley
Bucks County Riverboat & Trolley Companies, Upper Black Eddy
Cramer Bakery, Yardley
Dilly’s Corner, Centre Bridge
Edgar H. Denson, Post #79 American Legion, New Hope
Donnelly Marketing Services Associates, LLC, Carversville
Eiseman Roofing & Exterior Construction, New Britain
First National Bank & Trust Company of Newtown
First Savings Insurance, New Britain
T. Foster & Co., Inc., Yardley
Fox Chase Bank, Lahaska
Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio, New Hope
The Grundy Commons, Bristol
Hobensack & Keller, Inc., New Hope
Homestead General Store & Coffee Roasters, Upper Black Eddy
La Chele Medical Aesthetics, New Hope
Leisure Craft, Warrington
Liberty Bell Wanderers, Philadelphia
Lions Cross Country Booster Club, New Hope – NEW Member
Logan Inn, New Hope
McCaffrey’s Markets, Yardley
Mueller’s General Store & Kitchen, Easton 
NAM Planning & Design, LLC, Lumberville
OMNIA Group Architects, Hatboro
Pete’s Bike & Fitness Shoppe, Flemington, NJ
Porches Bed & Breakfast, New Hope
Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna
Shearer Penn Corp., Trenton, NJ
The Stephan House Inn, New Hope
Univest National Bank & Trust Co.
The UPS Store, New Hope
Yardley Borough

 

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