Compiled Public Comments and Park Responses for Federal Advisory Commission – May 6, 2024
Commenter One:
1. The C&O Canal Association Board of Directors has approved a CHOH funding request for: (1) $4,000 for a custom wall mural for the Trolley Barn; (2) $2,000 for exhibit panels at entrance to Trolley Barn; and (3) $3,000 to reprint Park Planner.
2. The roof of the Mule Barn at Lock 50 has a hole in it. What is the cost estimate to repair/replace that roof? The "Wait House" at Lock 50 is decaying. What is the cost estimate to repair/replace that small building?
3. The C&O Canal Association welcomes a discussion on these two projects with a view for the Association paying for the materials, as was done for the mule kick-boards at Monocacy Aqueduct.
The mule barn is scheduled for a full rehabilitation to include foundation and structural repairs along with siding and a new roof in 2025. The project is currently formulated for funding at just over $170,000 in 2025. We do not have a cost estimate for the Wait House yet.
Commenter Two:
1. The Canal is silted up in separate places from Violette’s Lock (lock 23) down to below Swain’s Lock (lock 21). This stretch of the Canal receives water from Inlet Lock #2 at Violette’s and was once a nice recreational stretch for kayakers and canoeists. The Park began dredging the prism above lock 20 at Great Falls, but the work did not get far. What happened? Will the effort resume to desilt the canal all the way to Violette’s Lock?
Funding for the dredging project above Lock 20 was provided by the State of Maryland through a Transportation Alternatives Project (TAP) Grant in the 2017 grant cycle. Unfortunately, due to changes in the program, additional park requests for TAP funding for this type of rewatering project have not been funded by the state. NPS continues to be open to other funding sources for desilting, but as of right now, there are no plans or funds to extend the current project.
NPS entered an Interagency Agreement (IAA) with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) who issued a contract to clear all large woody debris from the canal between Lock 20 – 23, resurface the towpath between Lock 21 – 23, and to remove sediment in the canal on Level 20. While the initial phase of this work has been completed and only a few punchlist items remaining, due to the current bidding climate, not all of the sediment could be removed from the various accumulated areas in the canal between this reach. The challenging logistics and complexities with removing sediment from the canal within this stretch of the park adds to the pricing associated with this type of work. Some of this initial funding remains that is anticipated to be used to dredge a few other small areas in the upcoming year over the off-season.
2. The parking lots at Pennyfield lock (lock 22) and Riley’s lock (lock 24) need the potholes repaired and the asphalt parking lots need resurfacing. Both parking areas were once paved with asphalt.
We have funding requests submitted to repave both Pennyfield and Riley's parking lots, although at present neither is scheduled to be funded. Both parking lots are in need of total replacement as the base underneath the existing asphalt is in such bad condition that any repair work we do is short-lived. Part of Pennyfield lot is gravel and part is paved, and we can't use cold patch on the gravel sections. Although Riley's parking lot is mostly paved, cold patch doesn't last very long either as the root of the problem is a lack of base material under the existing very thin asphalt. Staff try to keep potholes patched as best they can and will do so until these projects are funded.
3. Potholes at the White’s Ferry parking lot need filling. This lot was never paved.
Maintenance will take care of the lot at Whites Ferry. Potholes will be filled and entire gravel lot graded
4. The Seneca Aqueduct needs restoration and the corresponding lock (lock 23) needs to be evaluated to determine if it needs to be stabilized/restored too. One of the three aqueduct’s red sandstone arches collapsed in September 1971. These two historic structures are the only combination lock/aqueduct of all of the eleven masonry aqueducts along the 184.5 miles of the Canal.
This remains on the radar of the park’s facilities staff. Previously, park staff had tried to include the repairs of this structure in a Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund project request, but was unsuccessful at receiving funding for repairs using that source. Recently in May 2024, Professional Services Engineers and Facility Managers performed a site visit with Denver Service Center and HDR Engineering to conduct further scoping of the repairs to try to determine a path forward on addressing the deferred maintenance on the structure. This included performing inspections from the shore and by boat.
5. The Park is about to take over the Seneca Stone Cutting Mill from the Seneca Creek State Park. This historic structure needs to be stabilized and protected. The Seneca area needs to develop walking paths with historic wayside signs telling the history of what a thriving community was once was there. What are the Park’s plans after they assume possession of this area?
Once the park assumes management of the Seneca Mill property, the NPS will be able to seek funds to preserve the Seneca Stone Mill. These funds would support removal of graffiti and overgrown vegetation and the installation of security fencing and interpretive signage. Costs associated with long-term preservation of the mill structure would include a comprehensive condition assessment, an historic structures report, and stabilization of the mill ruins.
The Park is still working with the State on the transfer of this property to the NPS. Once the State is able to transfer the property, the Park can enact interim stabilization measures to ensure the structure’s preservation while we apply for funds for long-term preservation and development solutions. The Park is also currently working with a cooperator on a Historic Resource Study of the greater Seneca community, which will help guide education and interpretation efforts for the area.
6. Lockhouses 23 (Riley’s) and 27 (Spinks Ferry) need exterior maintenance
7. The Monocacy Aqueduct needs maintenance to the towpath stones and the berm side wall stones on top of the wall. Cement is missing between many stones or damaged between stones. The historic and modern fencing along the towpath side needs to have rust removed and repainted. Bikers dismount signs were knocked down in 2018 and not replaced. Jon Wolz turned both signs into the Park. Cyclists often ride across the uneven stones. People have tripped and fallen on the stone towpath. The picnic tables at the Monocacy Aqueduct need to be fastened securely into the ground. One table that had been moved beneath the first arch by Park visitors washed away in March. The aqueduct is a popular recreational area and should have more than one picnic table.
For 6 &7: We are aware of the issues at Lockhouses 23, 27, and the issues at Monocacy Aqueduct but we have limited funds and other infrastructure that is in worse condition than these two locations. We have 184.5 miles of towpath and over 1300 locations that we are tasked with maintaining. We have to prioritize the things that are in the absolute worst condition and address things as funding allows. We have over $750 million in deferred maintenance and a budget to address these items of less than 3 million dollars per year. We hope to address some of the more obvious things with the hiring of a five person preservation team paid for with Inflation Recovery Act funds that will pay for 5 additional staff in the park to address things like lockhouses, mule barns and historic masonry. We have hired two of the five staff and hope to have the other three onboard by October and hope to begin addressing some of these issues in the coming year.
8. Portable restrooms along the towpath had not been serviced since November 2023. Beginning in March they began to once again being serviced. The two at White’s Ferry had been in poor condition, however they have been serviced and are usable.
The park has struggled with vendors on this contract; we believe we have solved the short-term issues, and a new contract will be let later this FY
9. The Goose Creek River Locks near Edwards Ferry need to have the trees removed that are growing inside the locks, in and next to the lock walls. Also, the undergrowth needs to be removed from inside and next to the locks. These locks are the only staircase locks on the entire canal. An interpretive sign along the towpath would be a nice touch.
The park is aware of the vegetation in this area, including a number of RTE plants. Since its creation in 1971, over 1,500 plant species have been identified in the Park, including 200 rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) plants, some of which are globally rare and unique. Preserving and protecting the incredible natural resources and historic structures of the canal requires ongoing coordination and review. Strategic interpretive efforts through a variety of media support those efforts.
10. The gate at the Edwards Ferry lock needs to be unlocked so visitors may access the parking lot. The gate has been locked and the parking lot closed to the public since August 2023 so the Park can replace the temporary bridge over the lock. Work stopped in October 2023 and the temporary bridge is still in place. When will work resume to replace the temporary bridge and when is it expected to be completed?
The construction contractor was delayed due to the unforeseen site conditions uncovered during excavation – the historic pivot bridge foundations were documented by NPS, design revised by the engineer of record, and modifications issued to the contract for the revised foundation configuration. During the execution of the redesign, the construction contractor completed a portion of the other site work such as repairs to the Drylaid Stone Flume Wall, Replacement of the Bollards, and Installation of New Guardrail. NPS identified a number of potential safety issues that were triggered by the partial completion of site work that needed to be completed before the roadway could be reopened (even on an interim basis) which prevented reopening of the gate. NPS anticipates remobilization to the site within the next few weeks. Site preparations will be undertaken to ready the site for drilling of the micropile foundation and construction of the new bridge structure. Revised construction schedule indicates potential reopening Late Summer 2024.
11. The White’s Ferry Concept Plan dated March 2023 needs to be communicated with leaders of Western Montgomery County by the Park’s leadership. Next steps to implement the concepts should be planned with county leaders and the Park should work with county leaders through the implementation of the final plans. What are the current plans for both tracts? What funding has been requested and what funding needs to be requested? When does the Park expect both tracts to be fully implemented?
The Whites Ferry Concept Plan is available on PEPC at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/whitesferryconceptplan. The plan conceptualized development alternatives, using public input to help guide concepts. Further refinement of these concepts and selection of a preferred alternative to develop and manage the area will be done through an Environmental Assessment which will include additional public and stakeholder engagement.
12. Park wayside signs need to be reviewed/updated and/or replaced along the canal in Western Montgomery County. New interpretive signs are needed to tell the story of Native Americans, Potomac River fords, the history of the four ferries that operated in Western Montgomery County, the story of Latrobe’s Marble Quarry, and signs identifying lock tenders who once worked at locks 21 through 27.
Interpretive wayside care of the approximately 174 waysides along the towpath and other trails – which includes routine cleaning, regular assessment of both frame and panel conditions and wayside content, and repair and replacement – is an ongoing effort. At this time, the park is in phase one of a multi-phase park-wide wayside project. As part of this phase, the park has hired a Visual Information Specialist (VIS) with IRA funding to create and update graphic files – a necessary component in order for the park to update content and reprint wayside panels. Already in FY24, the VIS has conducted a wayside condition assessment. This condition assessment and an upcoming content assessment are key pieces in allowing the park to strategically prioritize wayside replacement and creation efforts.
The park’s goal is to create interpretive wayside “trails” that focus on stories of African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, women, canal engineering, and life on the canal. Visitors will be able to travel the length of the canal following a selected “trail” to discover these various narratives. An important goal moving forward is to create new elements holistically so that they have a shared identity, an integrated design approach, and content that is reinforced throughout the visitor experience. The park continues to seek funding to support the wayside project.
13. Culverts in Western Montgomery County need to have the entrances cleared and have repairs done to the culverts. Below are some examples of the many culverts that need repair or maintenance.
14. Culvert # 25, at mile 17.74 that has Watts Branch flowing through it is leaking. People who boat through the culvert comment that they are afraid the ceiling will collapse.
15. Culvert #38 at mile 26.77 that has the Horsepen Branch flowing through it at mile 26.77 needs repair. There is a large hole in the canal prism which is cordoned off by an orange plastic fence.
16. Culvert #43 mile 30.89 at Edwards Ferry has a sinkhole and needs repair.
17. Culvert #49 at mile 34.82, has a lot of erosion around the entrance on the berm side. The soil/clay on top of this culvert has washed away and should be replaced. This historic culvert was once a passage culvert and used before the bridge at White’s Ferry was erected.
18. Culvert # 56 at mile 37.2 has a concrete wall leaning way over against the earthen towpath wall that could fall at any time. The berm side entrance needs to be cleared out and the old automobile needs to be removed from the entrance of this culvert.
19. Culvert #65 at mile 39.63 has two sinkholes in the canal prism that need to be repaired. This culvert has the Chiswell Run flowing through it. The exit stone arch of this culvert needs repair since some of the stones have fallen. At the entrance of this culvert, there is a large tree growing through a side wall with roots exposed. If the tree falls, stones will be pulled away from the culvert and the culvert will be blocked by the tree and stones. This culvert was a passage culvert and was used during the Civil War with 40,000 soldiers marching through it on their way to the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. It was once known as White’s Ford Culvert.
20. Culvert #68 at mile 40.04 has trees growing on top of the berm side wall at the entrance of the culvert. The trees need to be removed so the roots do not damage the stone culvert.
21. Culvert #69 has a large sinkhole that needs repair. This culvert has the Little Monocacy River flowing through it. If the culvert collapses, it could take the towpath with it.
Answer for Questions 13-21: The park prioritizes funding requests for all 1,300 historic structures. However, there are a lot of things to juggle. Park priorities have been focused on funding repairs/stabilization activities to address structures that 1) include an element of public safety and/or 2) are critical to preserving canal infrastructure because if they fail it's a disaster such as the culverts. Park priorities also take into account the IRA planning and prioritization effort.
