Canal season comes to a close

Winter work schedule begins

Carmella R. Mantello, director of the New York State Canal Corporation, announced the official closing of the 180th consecutive navigation season on the New York State Canal System. This year's navigation season of 199 days began May 1 and officially concluded November 15.

During the winter months, Canal Corporation employees repair the buoys and other equipment retrieved from the waterway in the fall. In addition, century-old equipment used to operate the 57 locks and 16 lift bridges, along with dozens of water control structures across the canal system, is repaired and rehabilitated. Engines used to power the tugboats, dredges, floating derricks and other craft in the Canal Corporation fleet are disassembled and serviced, and essential infrastructure is shored up and replaced. Certain locks throughout the state are completely pumped out to allow maintenance forces to inspect and repair portions of the lock normally underwater. All this work must be accomplished in four months so that in April, canal forces can begin re-watering the canal and replacing buoys and other vital equipment in anticipation of a May 1 opening.

The majority of the canal saw a slight upswing in summer traffic during 2005 with a 6.9 percent increase in recreational lockings from May to August. Final traffic numbers for 2005 will not be available until mid-December.

November 20, 2005