FEMA Proposes Ways to Decrease Flood Damage Along Canal System

Boaters and those who enjoy the New York State canal system may benefit from a federal proposal to put flood gates on the Mohawk River to prevent massive flooding in the future.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has a proposal to build gates that would shut off the river from the canal during events like last year’s double-hurricane and tropical storm events.

There are currently some flood control mechanisms in place to help keep high waters out of the canal, but they failed last fall according to FEMA.

The new gates would automatically rise in place when flood waters get too high.

A study is currently underway to see if the idea would work.

FEMA has also given the canal system about $8 million to clean out debris and sediment from the two storms.