News Release
National Park Service
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Contact: Christiana Hanson, 301-491-6265
WILLIAMSPORT, Md. – The National Park Service (NPS) today celebrated the completion of the stabilization project of a historic drylaid stone wall at Mile 11 with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. This approximately 1,015 linear foot long wall historically called the “Log Wall” plays a critical role in supporting the towpath and the canal prism and protecting them from the waters of the Potomac River. The rehabilitated historic wall ensures future generations will continue to learn and enjoy the C&O Canal in its historical context.
Originally constructed between 1828 and 1831, the Log Wall was altered in the 1960s by the installation of the Potomac Interceptor Combined Sewer, which is operated and maintained by DCWATER. In 2015 and 2016 a series of sinkholes formed in the canal behind the wall, necessitating the water in the canal to be lowered throughout a 4-mile stretch, including upstream of Log Wall to Widewater (mile 13.5) and downstream towards Washington, DC.
The modern stabilization project was complex as the park worked to preserve historic resources and contribute to the capability of rewatering miles of canal. The project also aimed to reduce the impacts of future flooding events to the towpath, historic features of the park, and park visitors.
Work included performing stone masonry repairs; removing accumulated sediments from the canal; replacing the canal liner with a geosynthetic system; fixing sinkholes that have developed; stabilizing limited reaches of the tributaries entering the canal to minimize future erosion; buttressing the drylaid stone wall with dumped stone; installing a new timber rail along the towpath; and establishing temporary access and best management practices during construction for erosion and sediment control.
GAOA is part of the NPS's commitment to address long-needed deferred maintenance and repair needs in national parks throughout the country and represents the single largest investment in public lands in United States history. Supported by revenue from energy development, it provides the National Park Service with up to $1.9 billion per year across five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
A digital recording of the event is available at https://www.facebook.com/CanalFriends/. The C&O Canal Trust is the official nonprofit partner of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
Last updated: July 11, 2025