Towpath Section Reopens with Highwalls Repair Nearly Complete

The "Highwalls" section of the Towpath reopened Jan. 17, and a major project undertaken to stabilize the stone wall there is almost complete, the C&O Canal National Historic Park announced on Facebook. The contractor's final touches would be done in a few more weeks, the NHP said. This section, just upstream from the third parking lot at Carderock and Milepost 11, has been closed since August 2023.

A historic drylaid stone wall approximately 1,015 feet long and 35 feet high at some points was built between 1828 and 1831.

Work included repairing the wall, installing a new "geosynthetic liner with underdrain system" within the canal, stabilizing two tributaries flowing into the canal, and installing a new timber railing. (See Cruiser, March-April 2023, and a comprehensive project description on the NHP website.)

Giving a good idea of the scope of the project, the NHP said that "approximately 30 million pounds of sediment were removed from the Canal to restore its ability to convey water," and "approximately 13 million pounds of gravel and riprap were placed to physically buttress the historic drylaid stone wall on the riverside."