ALBANY -- Pleasure boaters and owners of commercial craft that have been trapped on the Erie Canal since Tropical Storm Irene's flooding created havoc have some good news.
The canal will open for a brief period starting on Thanksgiving Day so the vessels can get home.
The Cuomo administration announced the projected reopening of the waterway from Nov. 24 to Dec. 8.
Two large tour boats are among the many vessels that have been stranded on the Great Lakes since Irene and then Tropical Storm Lee devastated parts of the state. Those boats and others will now be able to complete their journeys.
"This is welcome news to boaters and commercial vessels with no other reasonable alternative to returning to their home ports," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said upon making the announcement Monday.
Catastrophic flooding had overwhelmed locks on the Erie Canal between Fort Plain and Schenectady, causing widespread damage.
The steel components that hold dam gates in place were twisted and displaced, and power houses were swept away in the flooding. Machinery used to operate the locks and dams were inundated; in three locations, flooding actually carved new channels for the Mohawk River around the lock and dam structures.
Over the next two months, crews are scheduled to carry out extensive repair efforts. In addition to fixing the lock structures, the canal will also be dredged in spots where material carried by the flood has blocked the river.
"The 2011 season is the 187th year of continuous inland navigation in New York, and we are pleased to be able to give our customers the ability to complete their planned itineraries," said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Stranded-vessels-will-be-able-to-leave-canal-2189541.php#ixzz1ZFd9Pel6
