Isabella Darcy with Delaware Currents reports that Philadelphia’s Manayunk Canal, a stagnant water body that suffered from low dissolved oxygen, frequent algal blooms and sedimentation for nearly 80 years after its closure in the 1940s, has reopened.
The canal, which connects to the Schuylkill River, one of Philadelphia’s primary water sources, is a part of a significant waterway for the city. That’s why in 2022 the Philadelphia Water Department launched its Flat Rock Dam project, which sought to restore healthy, flowing water through the dam and into the Manayunk Canal.
On April 14, the canal was reopened.
The project “strengthens our infrastructure, supports aquatic life and restores a historic waterway that means so much to the neighborhood and to our city,” said Laura Copeland, the Water Department’s assistant deputy commissioner for education, community engagement and government affairs.
Approximately 10 weeks after the canal reopened, the department has observed improvements in water flow and quality, and a decrease in pollutants. Further, larger fish species, like gizzard shad and striped bass, have reappeared.
The Water Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the canal on Thursday to celebrate the completion of the project with city officials, community members and project partners.
How the project was completed
Much of the project was funded by a $21 million grant provided by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (also known as PENNVEST), which provides low-interest loans and grants to water quality improvement projects in Pennsylvania.
The project involved improvements to dam and canal structures, as well as protection of historic elements and wildlife, according to Ian McKane, a civil engineer specialist for the Water Department.
A historic lock structure, towpath and gate house, among other historical elements, were preserved throughout the project’s implementation, according to David Weld, an assistant manager of the design branch at the Water Department.
During construction near wildlife habitats, a biologist was on site to capture any fish and turtles in harm’s way and return them to the Schuylkill River, McKane said.
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