Credit: James O’Malley/County of Bucks
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has announced the start of six significant construction projects within Delaware Canal State Park in New Hope Borough, Solebury Township, and Upper Makefield Township.
The projects have a total cost of more than $9 million.
John Hallas, Director of the DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks, said the projects are for extensive canal infrastructure enhancements, including bridge reconstructions and emergency repairs needed due to the catastrophic flash floods in July 2023.
The state department said the projects underway include:
- Towpath bypass over Delaware Canal Inlet, New Hope: replacing the existing temporary crossing to facilitate access of equipment critical to canal maintenance.
- Emergency stone masonry wingwall repair, New Hope: rebuild the southeast wingwall at the bridge over the inlet channel that collapsed during a storm event on July 15, 2023.
- Emergency scour repair to Thompson Neely Access Bridge over Delaware Canal, Solebury Twp: emergency underpinning at both abutment stem walls, and stone masonry repointing.
- Bowman’s Hill wastegate repair, Solebury Township: repair concrete apron of the wastegate and replace timber wastegates and repair a large portion of missing stone on southern wingwall impacted by 2018 flooding. This wastegate is a critical control point for canal water levels and in its current condition, cannot retain water adequately.
- Buckstone, David Library Bridge replacement, Washington Crossing: full replacement of the superstructure, repairs to the west abutment and replacement of the east abutment.
- Tebola Beans Bridge, Washington Crossing: full replacement of the entire structure.
“These projects will address safety issues and flood damage on the southern end of Delaware Canal State Park and when complete will allow water to be restored in the canal,” Hallas said. “But in the meantime, the canal in the area is dewatered to allow for the work to be completed.”
However, the canal has been temporarily dewatered from New Hope to Washington Crossing to facilitate the ongoing work.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has announced that the Delaware Canal Section 03, stretching from New Hope to Washington Crossing, will not be stocked with trout this season due to insufficient water levels, officials said.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is attempting to rewater sections of the canal south of Washington Crossing to mitigate the impact. The outcomes are yet uncertain.
Anglers are advised to consult the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s trout stocking schedule online for updates before and during the upcoming trout season starting April 6.
The completion dates for the individual projects vary, with impacts on canal water levels expected to persist throughout the spring stocking and fishing season.
