Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! Dish by Design by Laura Dyer Hild - June 26, 2016June 26, 201699 I spent a recent sunny afternoon walking the once operational Manchester “Mill” Canal. Unfortunately, the canal has not been in service for quite some time and now holds mostly shallow stagnant water and over grown water grasses. That wasn’t always the case. At one time a charter was set forth by William Byrd III ensuring that Manchester would be able to share the hydropower from the James River with Richmond. The Manchester “Mill” Canal was operational by 1800. The canal received water from the Manchester Dam to service the textile and grist mill industries that were erected along the river. The Mill Canal would terminate into Mill Pond (east of Hull Street) and overflow into Walker’s Creek. This area survived the Civil War but was later demolished to make way for the flood wall. Below are pictures showing the journey from Manchester Dam, moving eastward along the canal, with a final stop at Mill Pond. The canal needs a considerable amount of work, but to see water flowing through it once more would be a positive step. The green environment could still enhance the waterway much like the area down by the low line canal (north of the James River). Not only would the clean up of the canal enhance the human experience, but the natural abundance of wild life, birds, and flora would also benefit greatly from the revival of this area. An enormous, slumbering asset in the form of the Manchester Canal is lying dormant waiting for us to seize the opportunity and make it great again. City of Richmond, are you listening? Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! Manchester Dam Canal Controls Entry point to canal from James River View of canal going under railroad tracks On flood wall looking north to the city Overgrown grass in canal looking westward View of canal looking eastward Manchester Canal History Plaque Canal at west side of Hull Street Mill Pond at east side of Hull Street Photo Credit – Laura Dyer Hild
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
Good idea – why again did we push Rachel Flynn out of town when we keep recycling all her recommendations? Reply
Or we could keep it closed and kill off the wildlife and re-open it for one day – Earth Day – so people think we have a canal… Reply
Yeah, we’ve been living along the canal for 7 years and the water flow was stopped about 1 1/2 – 2 years ago. There were loads of fish, turtles, birds… Kind of sad to look at now. Reply
RT @DogtownDish: Let’s Reopen the Manchester Canal! #rva #manchesterrva https://t.co/JRMXJSEJlT Reply
Who is going to pay for it? Think maybe get our RIchmond schools up too par first?? At any rate William Byrd III died Jan2, 1777 . Electricity wasn’t discovered until 1819-1821 and the first operational hydroelectric dam was first used until 1887. “At one time a charter was set forth by William Byrd III ensuring that Manchester would be able to share the hydropower from the James River with Richmond. ” Mrs. Hild needs to do some fact checking or maybe William Byrd III could see into the future by 112 years… Reply
Our tax dollars paid to the City for 100+ years since Manchester consolidated with Richmond, without having seen any maintenance/infrastructure improvements in return, will pay for it. I’d say we are due. Reply
Bad idea. 1. A restored Manchester Canal would divert water from the main stem of the James, which should be preserved for environmental and recreational reasons. If the Manchester Canal were rebuilt, it could again be licensed for hydropower use, which would be destructive. It should be recalled that, not so many years ago, ALL of the James River in the section depicted in these photos was diverted and used for power production on the north and south sides of the river. This effectively destroyed the riverine environment and there were NO fish, no eagles, no osprey, heron, etc.}. 2. A restored canal would make more appropriate commercial development along the river, in Manchester, more costly and more difficult. 3. The canal carries with it certain water “rights,’ that may be in conflict with the public interest. 4. There are many proposed projects that, in my opinion, should have priority. One is the redevelopment of the Norfolk Southern rail loop area, in accordance with the adopted Richmond Riverfront Plan. Therefore, I would like to see the Manchester Canal openings in the flood wall blocked, and the canal itself obliterated. Reply
Mr. Ware, here is a video of the water level when the Manchester Canal was opened for Earth Day: https://www.facebook.com/michaelchristopherhild/videos/1699127360326103/ There does not appear to be a lack of strong waterflow/levels in the James despite the canal being open. If water levels are exceptionally low, the canal intake can always be reduced to maintain the health of the James River. We agree the James River takes precedence. Reply
Do you know why they’ve closed off the small bridge entrance behind the Suntrust building where you can walk over to the little overlook that’s up infront of the climbing wall? I walked there with my dog all the time and all the sudden it was completely shut off a few weeks ago! I know they’re building the bridge to Brown’s Island to the left of it, but I just don’t get why they closed that pathway off from us too. ? Reply
Love the site and articles! Are there any drawings of what will be below the current overlook (on top of the climbing wall)? It looks like they are starting construction on a back and forth walkway from the south end of the new bridge to the overlook (and connecting into the stairs that go over the train tracks) when I was there yesterday. It would be great to see some “beginner” walls put in for kids and new climbers. We have walking and biking trails, would be cool to see the climbing walls expanded or exactly what that area is proposed to look like. Reply
The Dogtown Dish thank you for telling me! Glad to know it is just temporary, hopefully it’ll be back open soon then. It’s definitely one of my favorite spots. 🙂 Reply
There are plans to improve the canal and add a trail alongside it in the city’s riverfront redevelopment plan. There are some other really cool plans for that area too including bringing the ground up so it’s level with the floodwall which will create a new Riverside park. Reply
http://www.richmondgov.com/planninganddevelopmentreview/documents/PlansRiverfront/5_Manchester.pdf here’s link to the riverfront masterplan section about the canal… Reply
Since Manchester is Richmond’s Brooklyn, any and all water improved water features is a boon for the neighborhood. Reply
