Trouble on the C&O

Due to a partially failed inlet gate at Lock 5, several miles upstream from Georgetown, "officials are considering breaching the towpath to let water escape before it reaches the popular shopping and restaurant district in the event the inlet gate fails entirely." Lock 5 is right near the trail access in Brookmont (north of the split off from the CCT and Chain Bridge). Not sure where they'd breach it. But with the other damage near Chain Bridge reported, it could be a long time before the C&O is rideable again.

Comments

[gwadzilla]

total bummer...

I love the canal

the thought that this resource would be left to decline is depressing

[SJE]

Wow. Do you know WHERE they would breach it?

[Eportelance]

Arg! That's terrible news. I was looking forward to riding it within the next few weeks. :(

[Michael H.]

The W. Post article says that the only closed section is between 34th St. and Rock Creek Park. Maybe the damage will be limited to just the southernmost end. If so, most of the path could be OK once you get past Georgetown.

Note that this is just pure speculation on my part, but based on what it said in the article.

[SJE]

Your roving reporter here, just went to inspect. The water is certainly gushing along the canal at G'town and the towpath is closed in G'town. The CCT is open, it seems, based on the number of cyclists heading that way.

The Potomac is still pretty high.

[Purple Eagle]

Gwadzilla, what makes you think that the canal/towpath will be "left to decline"? It appears NPS is responding to an emergency situation with the possible breach. There is no indication that they won't eventually repair the damage.

[SJE]

Emergency breaching is done in all sorts of similar situations, and does not indicate neglect.

When a canal overflows, it degrades the walls, causing a large area of damage. In serious enough situations, you can have multiple points of failure. In such a situation, it is best to rip a hole to reduce the pressure. Sure, you have a big hole, but its only one hole.

[JeffB]

Thanks SJE!

I'm prepping tonight for my commute up the CCT tomorrow morning.

[SJE]

I'd check: they might decide to put the hole where the CCT runs.

[Contrarian]

I walked from Chain Bridge to Fletcher's this afternoon. At Fletcher's there was a spillway that was clogged with sticks and they had a backhoe on the towpath trying to clean it out.

[akelso]

Nooooo!!!! Now with the time change, the C&O is the only way I can ride to work in the morning withouth braving River Road in the dark. Does anybody know exactly how unrideable the C&O is? It looks like White's Ferry is completely under water.

[Contrarian]

I went by fletcher's today and they had got the spillway clear, the water in the canal was down about 4' from yesterday.

[Jan]

Seems like breaching is extremely absurd. Haven't they ever heard of siphons? That's just grade school basics. Half a dozen foot wide pipes and that water will go down in no time.