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Old 02-14-2021, 09:57 AM   #17
rslifkin
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City: Rochester, NY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angus99 View Post
I’m supposing lower water water levels are more common in the fall? I’m trying to decide if transitioning Lake Champlain is something we could attempt if we arrived in Waterford and there were low seasonal water levels. With everything off the radar arch, our air draft is around 17’—possibly less with full tanks.

To travel from Waterford to the St Lawrence, what is the minimum height for any bridge that cannot be manipulated by the lock operators?

You'd probably want to check with the canal corp on water levels. But they usually post alerts if the water levels are above normal pool level. They regulate pretty well unless there's really wet weather.



For the Champlain canal, lowest clearance at normal pool is listed at 17.03 feet. Lowest clearance at maximum pool is listed at 14.20 feet, but it would be rare for water levels to be that high (and they'd certainly have alerts out if they were). Not sure about bridge clearance on the Canadian end of things, however.


When you get to Waterford you'd likely be able to confirm whether there are higher than normal water levels and therefore reduced clearance. If clearance is good, go up the Champlain Canal. If not, go west on the Erie Canal and up the Oswego Canal. That route has just over 21 feet of clearance at normal pool levels and just over 19 feet at the worst point at maximum pool levels.
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