Round 2 With Commissioner Stratton

Having been through the Okeechobee canal here in Florida I will say the design of the canal locks down here is vastly different. There are no valves to manage the water level. It's all done with the doors. To fill the lock they partially open the high side doors and then completely open them when the lock level is identical to the outside level. As well going down, they open the lower door and let it out.
There is quite a bit of difference in the amount of lift and perhaps this was a consideration in the design of the canal system. In fact, the Mayaka lock drop going east was a few inches but when we got a ride back for our car it was left open at both ends allowing a very light current to flow into lake Okeechobee.

Was there any news on boats trapped in the canal and whether or not it will open in Dec. to let people through?
 
Hi Dan,

I think you are correct - less lift allows one to use a simpler system to put water in. Some of the Champlain locks reach 25 feet, and Erie Lock 17 in Little Falls is what, 40 feet or something like that???

I am told that the Erie Canal is indeed opening around Thanksgiving solely for the purpose of getting the stranded boats out, then it will re-close. The Champlain is open but about to close.

Then again, you are in Paradise, what are you worrying about upstate NY waterways for (LOL) ???
 
We have enjoyed the canal systems many times and it's quite a surprise to see them bashed up by these storms. But the worst of it was driving out Route 17 to Athens NY and seeing all of the destruction along the way. When 17 is closed because it's under water (in places) from Vestal to Elmira, you KNOW it's bad!
 
Yes it was indeed bad, hopefully we've seen the last of such disasters, at least this year...
 
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