Work to fix Columbia Canal, ruptured in 2015, will limit access to a popular attraction
A decade ago, a “1,000-year-storm” dropped 20 inches of water on the Midlands, knocked out roads and bridges, and carved a gaping 60-foot hole in the city’s canal, which is responsible for providing water to more than 200,000 people — about half of Columbia water’s customers.
It’s taken 10 years, but now the canal is finally getting fixed. But that fix will also mean a disruption to residents who frequent the city’s Riverfront Park and the popular trail that runs along the canal, typically accessible at points on Laurel and River streets. For the next roughly two months beginning March 17, only the Laurel Street access point will be open, according to a release shared by the city Monday.
The north end parking lot at 1422 River Drive will be closed from March 17 through May 5 while the city rebuilds a ramp on the canal headgates. During the closure, the park will only be accessible from the south entry point, located at 312 Laurel Street.
The headgates work like valves that can be opened and closed to adjust the flow of water into the canal, but damage from the flood has left all but one headgate plated shut. The city expects to spend about $12 million in federal dollars on replacing them. The actual replacement work is not expected to begin until next summer, said Assistant City Manager Clint Shealy.
That work will keep the north entrance to the park closed for a longer period of time, Shealy estimates. But he said the city is still looking for contractors to complete the work and won’t know for sure when and where the park will be closed until those contractors put together their schedules.
The city also must fill the 60-foot hole in the canal embankment that has been plugged by a temporary rock dam for the last 10 years. It also plans to restore a hydroelectric station and build a second access point to pump water directly from the river, creating a backup in case the canal were to be breached again.
In total, the work is expected to cost $120 million, with much of it covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. At least $100 million of the total bill is covered by federal and state programs, city leaders have said. The canal’s reconstruction is expected to be done by December 2027.
If you’ve spent anytime at the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park, you may have seen early signs of the project underway. Yellow construction equipment has been lining up along the treeline for the last month. Crews have already begun removing shrubbery to prepare for the alternate water pump project.
Shealy said that the work to repair the embankment will be mostly isolated to an area of the park that is already off limits to the public, but he expects there will be periods where the park is fully inaccessible.
“It’s going to be pretty intrusive work,” Shealy said, but added he could not say exactly what the future park closures could look like. When the city does have to close the riverfront park, it is directing people to the Saluda Riverwalk, which is accessible at 650 Candi Lane.
This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM.
