canal canal canal new_york_city borough brooklyn westernmost portion long_island connected bay canal borders neighborhoods west east hill north south miles long seven bridges canal carrying union street landmark street ninth street new_york_city subway busy cargo transportation hub canal recognized bodies water united_states labeled site canal history paralleled decline domestic shipping water canal transportation goods notably fuel oil scrap metal barges navigate canal daily legacy environmental problems area time canal arose local tidal wetlands fresh water streams recent years environmental cleanup addition development pressures brought speculation wetlands serve waterfront economic development needs compatible environmental restoration historical use mill creek neighborhood originally surrounded consisted tidal inlet creeks original meadows fish wildlife inlet land patents including land issued leaders earliest recorded real estate deals new_york_city history purchase area construction tobacco plantation early settlers area named local tribe called lived farmed soldier service dutch west india company built operated patented new_york land patented july tide water town mill operated located north union street west second mill called yellow mill built mill pond granted permission creek mill pond located present day canal street residents headed petitioned director general council permission canal expense land order supply water run mill petition presented council motion granted mill cole mill located present day 9th street smith street canal cole located north 9th street occupied present location public place slave labor built farmhouse brick stone known later played critical role battle long_island american troops fought long allow george_washington retreat house sat south eastern edge mill pond mill known located present day intersection streets seen drawings depicting battle brooklyn period dutch farmers settled engaged large notable export europe foot tides bay forced salt water creek course creating mix water ideal grew larger today gradually form negative artificial selection middle 19th century populous fastest growing city america incorporated creek farmland greater urban fabric linear villages shore economic hub mills home public landing sites connecting water route old road local population grew 19th century industrial revolution reached brooklyn need larger navigational docking facilities grew colonel successful local merchant advocated building canal benefit existing inland industries drain surrounding marshes land raise property values authorized construction deepening transform mile half long commercial connected begin act legislature exploring numerous alternative environmentally sound designs final chosen low price tag major hired design canal essentially complete cost construction came assessments local residents brooklyn state money despite relatively short length hub brooklyn maritime commercial shipping activity factories warehouses coal stores manufactured gas sprang result construction new_jersey upper hudson placed barges lumber brick shipped canal build neighborhoods hill addition industrial sector canal grew substantially time include stone coal yards flour mills cement works manufactured gas plants factories paint ink soap machine shops chemical plants producers emitted substantial water airborne canal site chemical manufactured new buildings year constructed region grew remarkable rate thriving industry brought new people area important questions properly addressed handle growth sewage new buildings drained downhill building new sewer connections compounded problem raw sewage neighborhoods farther away canal turn century combination industrial runoff storm water fortified products new sewage system rendered rank called wise cracking locals lake world war million annual tons cargo produced nation busiest commercial canal arguably heavy sewage flow canal required regular waters fanfare completed canal soon afterward abandoned regular schedule deeming longer cost effective brooklyn fuel trade converting coal artificial gas petroleum served wider deeper natural gas arrived pipeline early 1960s growth new_york loss industrial waterfront jobs period evident canal failure city sewage pump station infrastructure canal derelict dumping place remaining barge traffic carries fuel oil sand gravel scrap metal exported canal serves port moving goods brooklyn point issue area raised city new_york established industrial renewal plan area remained effect year surrounding community calling city state federal governments bring power clean water act bear environmental conditions left thriving urban industrial time canal built designs proposed lock systems allowed daily designs considered expensive result constructed significant design flaws budget flow water canal open end hope tides flush canal wooden concrete strong tides fresh water barred flowing mile channel water quality studies found concentration oxygen canal parts million minimum parts million needed sustain life high level development watershed area excessive constantly flowing canal oxygen creating breeding grounds responsible canal odor water sunlight feet needed aquatic plant growth rising gas bubbles sewage warm sultry day produces canal notable depths canal conceal remnants industrial past cement oil mercury lead multiple volatile organic compounds coal tar science line report found unidentified organisms canal opening elevated easy access trucks cars industry slightly vehicles passing overhead day expressway deposits tons toxic emissions air water beneath urban legend canal served dumping ground mafia character refers body water world percent guns documentary film discuss recent discovery fishermen human body parts taken novel remains protagonists found canal step pollution canal construction 1890s sewer pipeline carried sewage harbor proved inadequate attempt improve flow northern closed end canal big sewer constructed avenue 4th avenue canal butler street sewer design featured innovative construction method size area sewer ran known flooded district believed new sewer serve purposes drain flooded district use flow excessive water water upper canal headlines newspaper declared engineering shortly construction exists streets brooklyn today existing method control pollution isolated canal installation june time supplied clean water upper reaches canal brick lined miles tunnel butler street brooklyn unfortunately failed aside numerous operational long series problems mistakes occurred 1960s culminating city worker dropped cover severely damaged pump system suffering effect salt water clean water act passed city stretched funds time address issue result damage long stretch economic recession waters canal lay years according plans pump proposed bureaucratic delays project tunnel finally reactivated new design employed horsepower motor pumped average rate million gallons day water channel head end canal water circulating tunnel pumped hours day tidal forces water quality improved quality water samples taken pump operating attempt control pollution construction million similar unsatisfactory results plant collected waste existing sewer dumping harbor additional waste canal sewer system combined sewer overflow points city modify sewer system reduce sewage environmental cleanup redevelopment redevelopment plans allocated produce distribute bulkhead study public access document following year received construct street end public open spaces city green street program additional funded governor create plan allocated capital funds implement pilot project shoreline allocated additional create comprehensive community development plan today organization relies community volunteers maintain clean community lacks community centered redevelopment plan entered cost sharing agreement collaborate million ecosystem restoration feasibility study canal area completed studying possible alternatives ecosystem restoration wetland habitat restoration discussions turned breaking hard edges canal order restore natural processes improve overall environment wetlands area initiated canal use standards project meet city obligations clean water act summer joint study completed early problem management arose controversy planned brooklyn nets arena nearby central brooklyn project point called include basketball arena resulting sewage flow combined overflow rains combined sewer overflow points fear additional arena lead frequent canal industrial brooklyn new development plans debated land adjacent neighborhood east 4th avenue high density residential use strong commercial component redevelopment incentives offered developers look land place build substantial help public money february city new_york granted change developer allowing unit story super block residential project permitted abandoned project declared cleanup site different uses paving way recreational use canal founded founded organizations dedicated providing waterfront access education related estuary bordering shoreline canal season individuals including youths participated programs logging trips harbor report year showed highest level entire harbor acres site east ninth street canal crossing available commercial development development groups taken eye range possible projects site proposed entertainment retail complex featuring cinema bowling alley shops restaurants controversy lawsuit rival proposal store large store built opened april adjacent public overlooking canal company previously rejected ninth street location traffic congestion opened south end harbor project objected community organizations neighborhoods site smith 4th street taken city designated public place use public recreation space despite legal standing developers continually proposed site possibilities cleanup pollution left site years coal gas manufacture completion cleanup site turned parks department activism november habitats festival dedicated local action global wisdom celebrated environmental conferences collaborative art educational programs interactive walks area canal home arts organizations issue project room organized art events yard outdoor concert space opened summer near street bridge cleanup efforts april proposed canal listed cleanup site action supported requested help address canal environmental problems city stepped forward oppose listing offered time produce cleanup plan match work cleanup promise accomplish faster city stated achieve faster cleanup city fund cleanup dollars state city levels seek funding nonprofit canal founded partners city groups like universities things hosts monthly events march announced placed planning reduce sewage content canal repairing tunnel fresh water repair completely eliminate sewage problem suggested seven plans clean village_voice reported scenarios viable estimated taking years complete costing million step plans scheduled begin second lay different proposed caps cap canal bed concrete second layer clay absorb layer sand act layer rocks anchor floor express concern clean poses health risk september approved clean plan plan cost million completed plan divides canal segments upper segment runs canal 3rd street middle segment runs 3rd street south hamilton avenue bridge lower segment runs hamilton avenue bridge mouth canal plan removing contaminated sediment canal areas implementing controls combined sewer prevent future contamination involves restoring approximately feet 1st street basin feet 5th street basin layer toxic sediment canal averages feet thick spots reaches feet remove approximately cubic yards highly contaminated sediment upper middle segments cubic yards contaminated sediment lower segment sediment treated site facility following areas canal contamination underlying sediment cap multiple layers clean material multi layer cap consists active layer specific type clay remove contamination isolation layer sand gravel ensure exposed armor layer heavier gravel stone prevent erosion underlying layers boat traffic canal currents finally sufficient clean sand placed armor layer fill stones establish sufficient depth order restore canal habitat middle upper segment canal native sediment contaminated liquid coal tar stabilize sediment mixing concrete similar materials stabilized areas covered multiple layer cap described model requires seek estimated cost cleanup plan spread dozen entities companies government entities like united_states_navy ship work canal original businesses operated alongside canal merged changed names moved away including eventually standard oil companies sold merged successor company current property owner assume liability companies produced transported hazardous substances considered responsible report identified major new_york_city wildlife january entered canal low tide unable died showed middle aged trapped kidney stones parasites reported bats canada small fish crabs started live popular culture press published issue comic series tales night entitled came canal toxic monster lives canal takes revenge gangster dumped bodies written illustrated publisher produced fake movie poster conjunction shop based issue
Gowanus Canal