I&M Canal Nettle Creek Aqueduct

OMG!! The destruction is almost unbelievable! What an immense loss.

This picture was taken 7 May 2013 from a similar position to the Steve Conto picture from 2012. View is facing south by southeast in both pictures. Note that the span itself APPEARS to be intact; it's the failure of the east pier of the aqueduct that brought it down. Also note the water flowing into Nettle Creek from the I&M Canal. This water flow has already eroded the clay lining of the canal for a distance starting about 30 yards east of the aqueduct site. The longer the delay in doing SOMETHING to contain this flow of water, the more difficult it will be to actually place the aqueduct back in service and rewater the canal. Prior to the aqueduct colapse, the water level at this section of the I&M was at the historic in-service level. You could canoe from about 4 miles WEST of the aqueduct all the way to Chanahon and beyond.

The I&M/Nettle Creek Aqueduct collapsed early 19 April 2013 due to heavy rains and record-setting flooding in the area. According to published reports, Nettle Creek's level rose to a point where it was roughly equal to the level of the I&M Canal. Between this rise in the level of Nettle Creek and the additional water flowing into the I&M Canal from the unusually heavy rain in the area, the east support wing was undercut and failed. As of 06 May 2013, there are no published reports on plans to reconstruct the aqueduct. However, this aqueduct will have to be reconstructed to preserve this section of the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal.