D&R Canal Dredging

On behalf of Carol Beske –President ACT Engineers, Inc.
609.918.0200 x 223..,.clbeske@actengineers.com

The New Jersey Water Supply Authority will be holding an Open House to present information on the dredging of the D&R Canal from Route 27 in Kingston to Amwell Road in Franklin Township. The Open House will be held at the Franklin Township Municipal Building on September 15, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM.

Public Notice

Dredging of the Delaware and Raritan Canal

The New Jersey Water Supply Authority (Authority) is developing a program to dredge a 10.5 mile stretch of the Delaware and Raritan Canal from Lincoln Highway (Route 27, Kingston) to Amwell Road in Franklin Township, Somerset County. Flow in this section of the Canal is being impeded by sediment accumulation and is compounded by the growth of weeds during the summer months when water demand is the greatest. The water surface elevation of the Canal is typically raised during these periods, which causes water to discharge over the lower elevation spillways. The objective of the project is to remove an estimated 270,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Canal to restore flow capacity.
The Canal is a source of drinking water for millions of residents in central New Jersey and provides recreational opportunities for numerous visitors. The dredging design will address the water supply needs for the area and take into account the surrounding cultural and natural resources.
In 1973, the Canal was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This action placed the Canal under the protection of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 whereby any actions undertaken or licensed by a Federal agency which impact upon the resource are subject to review by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Canal, which is within the D&R State Park, is also on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places whereby projects that impact the Canal require prior written authorization or consent from the NJDEP Historic Preservation Office. Accordingly, the planned dredging program must consider the historic and cultural significance of the Canal and adverse effects to these features must be minimized.
An informational meeting to discuss the project is scheduled for Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:00 at the Franklin Township Municipal Building, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ. This meeting is the second in a series of public information meetings and will discuss the Authority’s preferred methodology for removal of sediment from this reach of the waterway. Members of the Urban Dredging Consultants design team and the URS Corporation, cultural resource consultant for the project, will join Authority staff to discuss project progress and schedule and address questions raised before or during the meeting. There will be a presentation of the project at 6:00 that evening.
For information on the project, please visit the project website http://www.njwsa.org/html/canal_dredging.html or contact the Authority at info@njwsa.org