The Morris Canal Inclined Planes

The Morris Canal Inclined Planes. Village of Waterloo. , The inclined planes of the Morris Canal solved a major engineering problem. The canal route had to overcome 1,674 feet of elevation change across New Jersey. The route was chosen for access to the state’s iron industry and to utilize the water of Lake Hopatcong, 924 feet above sea level. The canal’s twenty-three inclined planes overcame large changes in elevation. Twenty-three lift locks, the water elevators of the canal, accounted for the rest., Imagine the sights and sounds of a canal boat descending the inclined plane, like the one here at Waterloo. Water gushed through the flume and was forced into the turbine housed in the powerhouse shown in the upper right. Wire cable squealed as it wound around the huge cable drum, guiding the heavy boat along iron rails. Mules’ hooves clopped across the bridge, ready to pull the boat towards the lock. The sounds of the lock gate opening ushered the boat on its journey. , < Sidebar : > , Morris Canal Greenway. The Morris Canal Greenway encompasses part of the historic Morris Canal’s alignment and is a cooperative effort of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, the Canal Society of New Jersey, the Village of Waterloo and the Friends of the Morris Canal. The Greenway’s purpose is to preserve the remains of the Morris Canal and its associated natural environment, to interpret canal sites to the public and to offer recreational opportunities. As you walk the Greenway, you will see the remains of canal features, including inclined planes, locks, canal bed and historic industries and communities directly related to the Morris Canal’s operation.