Lance Butler, Manager Environmental Restoration & Monitoring Philadelphia Water Department

ProjectLocation
y Locatedinnorthwest Philadelphia y BetweenShawmont AvenueandLockStreet y Approximately1.7milesin length y Approximately1.2miles upstreamfromtheCitys QueenLaneIntake
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Queen Lane Intake

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HistoricalPerspective:
y Completedin1819 y Acomponentofthe108mile SchuylkillRiverNavigation System y Providedpassageforcargoships fromthetidewatersat FairmountinPhiladelphiato PortCarbon,SchuylkillCounty. y Providedwaterpowerfor factories,transformingthis sectionoftheCityintoamajor textileproducingregion

Early 20th century photographs of upper portion of Manayunk Canal showing the Sluice House and Lock 68.

HistoricalPerspective:
y Providedeasytransportofanthracite coalandagriculturalproductsintothe City. y In1842,completionoftherailroadline fromPhiladelphiatoSchuylkillCounty markedthedeclineofthecanalsystem. y Lastcoaltransportthroughthecanal occurredin1917 y Lastcommercialtrafficin1922 y Decommissionedinthe1940sandfell intodisrepairoverthenextfivedecades
Recreational activities along the Manayunk Canal at Leverington Street (Circa 1918)

EcologicalPerspective
y Highlyproductive y Supportslargepopulationsof: y Fish y Macroinvertebrates y Amphibians y Reptiles y Birds y 2003surveyrevealed13speciesoffish y Pollutiontolerantassemblage y Resultssuggestastressedcommunity y Stuntedgrowthinvariousspecies y Ecologyreflectslowgradient,slow movingwaterconditions
A Great Blue Heron wading in the upstream portion of Manayunk Canal (2000)

Staff scientists from PWD performing a fisheries survey in the Manayunk Canal (2003)

WaterQualityConcerns AlgalBlooms
y Canoccurfrequentlyduringthe summermonthsinlowflow conditions y Aestheticallyunpleasing y Profoundimpactonwaterquality andaquaticorganisms y TasteandodorconcernsforCitys drinkingwater(e.g.,Geosmin& MIB)
Floating mats of benthic algae at Lock Street bridge (2006) Algal bloom during drought conditions in 1999 (Upstream view at Lock Street)

WaterQualityConcerns DissolvedOxygen
y Lowdissolvedoxygenconditionsin thecanalarearesultof:
y Stagnantflow y Minimalfreshwaterinputs y ChronicinputsofBOD(BiochemicalOxygen
Hemorrhagic septicemia in Gizzard shad as a result of chronic low dissolved oxygen in the canal (Manayunk Canal, 2003)

Demand) y Highoxygendemandinthesediment(SOD) y LargefluctuationsinDOduetoprimary productivity(i.e.,algae)

y Haveresultedinthreesignificant fishkillsinthecanaloverthelast decade

Fish kill in the Manayunk Canal as a result of low flow, high temperatures and algae bloom ( June, 2011)

WaterQualityConcerns Siltation
y Sedimentinputsfromhillslope processes y Landuseactivities y Masserosion y Roads y Transportoflegacysediments downstream y Bankerosioninupstreamareasofthe canal y Lackofsedimentmanagement program(O&M)
Sediment accrual in the Manayunk Canal at Leverington Street and Domino Lane (2011)

WaterQualityConcerns Trash&Debris
y Heavyaccumulationof: y Bottles,cans,plastics y Constructiondebris y Volatiles(paints,gasoline) y Woodydebris y Aestheticallyunpleasing y Potentialacuteeffectstoaquaticlife y Odorsemanatingfromorganic

decomposition

y Causefrequentdebrisjamsatlower

portionofcanal

Trash and debris present in the lower portion of the canal (Lock Street, 2002)

PastRestorationProjects
y LockStreetBridge 1997 y CottonStreetCrossing 1998 y ManayunkCanalBoardwalk 2001 y ManayunkCanalBankRestoration 2002 y LockStreetToFountainStreetLandscapingAnd

Lighting 2004

y ManayunkCanalRestorationProject(PhaseIII)

2005
y y y y

TimberCribbing Bulkheads Fencing Landscaping

Restoration of the boardwalk and left bank of Manayunk Canal between Lock Street and Leverington Street (PP&R, 2000)

y ManayunkCanalTowPathRestoration2012

CurrentRestoration&Enhancement ProjectsAlongManayunkCanal

Aerial View Of Venice Island Project (2011)

GoalsOfTheManayunkCanal ImprovementProject:
y Aesthetics
y

Thisphaseofthecanalimprovementprojectswillimprove andenhancethepark/naturallandscapearea Manayunkcanalisamajorcontributingelementtothe ManayunkNationalHistoricDistrict Biking Kayakingandcanoeing Fishing Encourage/promotebusinessestousecanalasastorefront amenity(e.g.,BourbonBlue) ImprovetheintegrityabovetheCitysdrinkingwater intake Significantimprovementstotheenvironmentalqualityof thisareaofPhiladelphia EnsurethehealthandpersistenceoftheCitysaquatic resources SimultaneouslymeetingthegoalsofbothCityagencies
y y

y HistoricalPreservation
y

y RecreationAndAthleticPrograms
y y y y

y Commercial/Business y SourceWaterProtection
y

y Ecology
y y

y Synergy
y

PWD PP&R

PlannedImprovementstoCanal UpstreamLockSystem
Dredging NewSluiceGate Structure NewChannel Spillway Expansion

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NewFlowDiversion Structure

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PlannedImprovementstoCanal DredgingAndSedimentRemoval
y Criticalcomponentto successofthisproject
Sediment accrual in canal at Site 2 (2011)

y Threesignificantdredge locations:
y Site1:CanalAtParkerAvenue y Site2:CanalatDominoLane y Site3:UpstreamLock(PWD)

y Approximately5,600cubicyards ofsedimentremoved

CurrentStatus
y SpillwayRehabilitation y FederalandStatepermitsunder review y Designsandspecifications 60% y AttractionFlowStructure y Designsandspecifications 30% y Hydraulicsandhydrologic modeling Complete(under review) y Dredging y PrepermitmeetingwithPADEP andUSACE July7th y Permitsubmitted y Additioninformationrequestedby USACE

Manayunk Canal at upstream lock (Lock 68), 1918

Manayunk Canal at upstream lock (Lock 68), 2011

30% Rendering

30% Rendering

Frontal View

UpdatedTimeLine

Completion!
Spring 2013 Fall 2013 2014

Winter 2012

Partners
y PhiladelphiaWaterDepartment y PhiladelphiaParks&Recreation y CapitalProgramOffice y ManayunkDevelopment Corporation y TheSchuylkillProject y FriendsoftheManayunkCanal
Clean up activities along the lower portion of the Manayunk Canal (2003)

Questions