Comments on: Why is the Canal Nearly Empty? http://dc.metblogs.com/2007/03/24/why-is-the-canal-nearly-empty/ Sat, 27 Nov 2010 12:28:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mike http://dc.metblogs.com/2007/03/24/why-is-the-canal-nearly-empty/comment-page-1/#comment-8256 Mike Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:10:17 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2007/03/24/why-is-the-canal-nearly-empty/#comment-8256 I knew someone in the comments would make up for my lack of research. Thank you sir! I knew someone in the comments would make up for my lack of research. Thank you sir!

]]> By: darpino http://dc.metblogs.com/2007/03/24/why-is-the-canal-nearly-empty/comment-page-1/#comment-8255 darpino Sat, 24 Mar 2007 18:07:06 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2007/03/24/why-is-the-canal-nearly-empty/#comment-8255 They drain the canal peridoically for 3 main reasons: 1. If the Potomac rises to a certain level the canal can reach flood height, so they drain it to preempt overflow onto the canal banks. 2. When the Potomac reaches flood heights, usually after the winter months, many fish get caught in the canal. So they usually drain the canal once or twice a year back into the Potomac as a more humane way to return fish to the river. (The alternative fish return method is to stun them and net them and dump them back in the river). 3. Canal repair. They drain the canal peridoically for 3 main reasons:

1. If the Potomac rises to a certain level the canal can reach flood height, so they drain it to preempt overflow onto the canal banks.

2. When the Potomac reaches flood heights, usually after the winter months, many fish get caught in the canal. So they usually drain the canal once or twice a year back into the Potomac as a more humane way to return fish to the river. (The alternative fish return method is to stun them and net them and dump them back in the river).

3. Canal repair.

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