Most of New York Canals Will Be Open This Weekend

Most of the New York State Canal system, including the Oswego Canal and the Champlain Canal, are expected to be open to boaters this Memorial Day weekend, the New York State Canal Corporation announced today.

At noon Friday, May 27, all classes of boats were authorized to pass through the gates of Lock 12 which connects the Champlain Canal with the Lake Champlain Narrows. Out of concern for its neighbors, the Canal Corporation recommends a no-wake speed when traveling through the Narrows.

In Rochester, plans are to open the Genesee River crossing of the Erie Canal at 7 a.m., Saturday, May 28.

At 7 a.m. Sunday, plans are to open the Oswego Canal for its entire length, between the Erie Canal in Syracuse and Lake Ontario.

As soon as practical and safe, Canal Corporation workers plan to open the remaining two segments of the system: Lock CS-1 which connects the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to the Erie Canal; and the segment of the Erie Canal between Lock 24 in Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, and Lock 26 in Clyde, Wayne County.

As always, weather and high-water conditions can impact the operation of the Canal system. Boaters are cautioned that some overhead clearances at bridges may be reduced due to higher than normal water levels. Boaters also should be on the look out of debris displaced by the high waters.

Recent heavy rains have resulted in continued high water and excessive flows that stalled the placement of necessary navigation guides and water control equipment.

The Canal Corporation continually monitors weather and water-level conditions in determining when the remaining sections of the Canal system will be opened.

Updated information on Canal conditions is available via the "Notice to Mariners" service. Please see the weblink http://www.canals.ny.gov/news/notices/index.shtml . You may subscribe for free by calling (518) 471-5016.

Real-time updates also are available through free subscription to Canals TRANSAlert at the weblink http://www.canals.ny.gov/tas/index.html . You may select the times and locations you wish to monitor.

By telephone you can get updated information by calling 1-800-4CANAL4 (choose prompt 3).

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The 524-mile-long New York State Canal system is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture.

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Here is the status of the New York State Canal system as of 12 noon, Friday, May 27, 2011 (subject to change):

Open

Erie - Lock E-2 (Waterford) to E-24 (Baldwinsville)

Erie - Lock E-26 (Clyde) to East Guard Lock (Rochester)

Erie - West Guard Lock (Rochester) to Tonawanda

Cayuga/Seneca - Lock C/S-2&3 (Seneca Falls) to Lock C/S-4 (Waterloo)

Champlain - completely open

To Open

Sat, 5/28, 7 am - Erie - Genesee River

Sun, 5/29, 7 am - Oswego Canal

Closed

Erie - Lock E-24 (Baldwinsville) to Lock E-26 (Clyde)

Cayuga/Seneca - Lock C/S-1 (Cayuga)

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