Establish a Canal-wide System of Pumps
Delaware Canal 21 has advocated for adding water augmentation pumps to the canal infrastructure as an important means of supplementing and managing the water and protecting the trail.
Imperative conservation and maintenance benefits to the canal ecological habitat and physical structures result from adding supplemental water during low flow periods or when the prism is drained by damage or for repairs. Specifically – to protect the towpath structure from deterioration, the clay liner must be kept saturated. The backup pumps can maintain a minimum conservation flow and protect against pool loss and fish kills. The backup pump system ensures resiliency when natural flows cannot.
Five locations have been identified for dedicated pumps be either installed, enabled, or rehabilitated. Additionally, the existing Point Pleasant Pumping Station, which currently sends water inland to Limerick, can be modified to divert a portion of its capacity to the canal, and thus serve as a sixth location.
Wheatsheaf Road (Falls Township) [mile 6.1] - proposed
Washington Crossing Park (Solebury Township) [mile 22.2] - proposed
Center Bridge (Solebury Township) [mile 27.7] - existing
Point Pleasant Pumping Station (Plumstead Township) [mile 32.5] – proposed modification to share/divert
Marshall’s Island (Tinicum Township) [mile 37.5] – proposed
Durham (Reigelsville) [mile 49.3] - existing
This task is the third part of a more comprehensive hydraulic solution that Delaware Canal 21 is pursuing as its 2024 Demonstration Project. Click below to learn more about it:
