Press Releases
- 07-24-2008Craney Island Mosquito Spraying July 27
- 07-22-2008Corps, NOAA Deploy 'Smart Buoy' in Chesapeake Bay
- 07-16-2008Lake Drummond Reservation reopens; Dismal Swamp Canal to reduce lock openings to 2 per day
- 06-13-2008Lake Drummond, Reservation temporarily closes due to wildfire threat
- 06-02-2008FNOD Advisory Board Meeting
News
Army Corps Re-Opens Dismal Swamp Canal for Navigation
October 20, 2008
By Brittany Brown
Norfolk District Public Affairs
The Norfolk District Army Corps issued a public notice today stating that the Dismal Swamp Canal, effective October 22 until further notice, will return to their normal operating schedule to accommodate boaters traversing the Dismal Swamp Canal (Route 2) of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
The locks and drawbridges at US Route 17 will be operating at 8:30 AM, 11:00AM, 1:30PM and 3:30 PM seven days a week. Mariners should expect delays in the opening, as they will be coordinated with the adjacent locks. The lock operator also serves as bridge operator, therefore the bridge will not be manned when the lock is being operated and vice versa.
Boaters can anchor or moor overnight in the canal; limited tie-up facilities are located along the canal. The canal is maintained to a depth of 6 feet, however, boaters should verify the latest channel conditions.
The normal operating schedule is subject to change during droughts or adverse weather conditions. Boaters are encouraged to check out the Norfolk District website at www.nao.usace.army.mil for the most current information on conditions at the canal. Boaters may also contact the District at 757 201-7500 and press option 3 for Dismal Swamp Canal information.
Did you know?
The Dismal Swamp Canal was inspired by George Washington, who as a surveyor of rural lands, made his first visit to the Great Dismal Swamp in May 1763. Washington, along with other prominent Virginians and North Carolinians, suggested draining the swamp and digging a north-south canal through it to connect the waters of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. In 1805, after 12 years of back-breaking construction, the 22 mile long Dismal Swamp Canal was finally completed.