Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct Restoration Complete!
After 38 years, dreams of restoring the 1844 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct have come to fruition. The aqueduct, which is on the National Registry of Historic Sites, is the only restored navigable Aqueduct in New York State.
An aqueduct is a water-filled bridge that carries canal boats over rivers, streams or valleys. It provided a way for the first enlargement of the Erie Canal to be carried over Nine Mile Creek. This 144 foot waterway is listed as the smallest of the larger aqueducts. Four stone arches made of fine Onondaga limestone quarried from Split Rock supported the towpath. Of the 32 original aqueducts on the First Enlargement, only about seven remain intact.
Downstream from the present First Enlargement Aqueduct, can be found the remains of the 1820 Clinton's Ditch Aqueduct with an adjacent lock. Two stone arches supported the 120 foot water bridge. This area has been cleared and kiosks interpret the site.
Let the Restoration Begin! – October 2008
Clearing Nine Mile Creek at the Aqueduct site
Click photos below to view at larger size.
April 2009
Placing the West floor of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct.
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Lowering a beam into place. |
Positioning beam – note North wall support beams. |
Overall view of the West end of Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. |
Close-up of beams at mid-point of Aqueduct piers. Note roller top left used to slide the beams to eastern section. |
Support timbers – made of southern yellow pine – 72 ft. long, 8 inches wide and 18 inches high. |
Placing the main beams – note wall support posts on the South side. |
June 2009
Placing the West floor of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct.
Click photos below to view at larger size.
Blue crane on glulam floor boards halfway across Aqueduct. Total length is 144 ft. Air view by Bob Reece. |
Main lifting crane on upper left. Floorboards on left being placed on main support timbers. Note wall posts. Air view by Bob Reece. |
Lowering older, original crane used by Vector Construction Co. Note wall posts. |
Lowering bundled glulam floor beams onto supports. |
Vector Construction Co. original blue crane lifting 800 lb. floor boards. |
Lowering glulam floor board. Floor will be caulked and lagged into place. |
July 2009
Constructing walls of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct.
Click photos below to view at larger size.
Placing wall on upstream side. |
Placing first laminated Cap
(lag screws bolt Cap to top of wall post). |
Vector Construction mortoring towpath arches. |
Northeast twist wall under construction. |
Volunteer Aqueduct Restoration Committee mortoring approach wall. |
Sluice Gate placed in north aqueduct wall (Drain Gate). |
Completed trunk of Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct (looking northeast). |
Completed trunk (looking southeast). |
Water rising in trunk (view northwest). |
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The Restoration Completed! – August 2009
Constructing walls of the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct.
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Southeast twist wall. |
Completed, rewatered Aqueduct approach wall and sluice gates. |
Mortaring north side. |
Removing western earth dam. |
Ontario and Camillus-Erie on Aqueduct. First boats since 1917. |
Ontario at new dock. |
Aqueduct looking east. |
Air View - boats on Aqueduct. Photo by Bob Reece. |
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