Tree stumps are being removed from near canal
Photos by Tom Rivers
A contractor hired by the State Canal Corp. removes tree stumps along the Erie Canal this afternoon by Canal Road, between Holley and Brockport.
The state Canal Corp. has hired Hohl Industrial of Tonawanda and Tioga Construction of Herkimer to remove tree stumps, and do packing and grading of the embankments where trees were cut down about a year ago.
This is the second of an embankment maintenance program for the Erie Canal in Monroe and Orleans counties that will enhance the canal’s safety and security, the Canal Corp. said.
The work started about a month ago near Marshall Road in Medina and contractors have been moving east.
This photo from Thursday shows a crew near Eagle Harbor in Albion, removing tree stumps and clearing some vegetation.
The Canal Corp. initiated the tree-clearing and embankment maintenance in accordance with guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, Army Corps of Engineers and Association of State Dam Safety Engineers. The consensus among these experts is that trees have no place on embankments, as their root systems can cause seepage and potentially lead to erosion and potential embankment failure that can cause catastrophic damage and loss of life, the Canal Corp. said.
